DISCLAIMER: D.E.B.S. and its characters are the property of Angela Robinson. No infringement intended.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.

Encounter
By Kattie

ONE: ENTHUSIASTIC

In a trendy, but discreet restaurant, Les Deux Amours, a young woman sat at a round table, sipping white champagne. She casually glanced towards the door as it swung open, but sighed in disgust as a man and woman entered, arm in arm. A quick glance at her watch told her that she'd been sitting at the table, alone, for the better part of an hour. Considering that she'd been late by almost half an hour, it meant that her blind date, Ninotchka Kaprova, was definitely standing her up.

All in all, not a great date.

The cob, however, had been excellent.

She signalled to a passing waiter, who nodded his head and walked to the bar. Moments later he returned with a leather billfold. Without bothering to look, she slipped a credit card inside the leather, and handed it to the young man, who nodded his thanks and wandered back to the bar.

Before the waiter had a chance to return however, the door opened once more, admitting a very beautiful blonde.

Lucy Diamond looked cautiously at the young woman. The photograph hadn't done her justice at all. Tall, lean and leggy, Ninotchka looked more like a Russian ballerina, rather than the assassin that she truly was. She was dressed in a low-cut white shirt and tight black pants, her high-heeled shoes only adding to her already impressive height.

The blonde's eyes met Lucy's, and she walked gracefully to the table. Lucy stood and found her hand captured by the Russian's.

"Miz Diamond, I must to apologise," came the heavily accented English. "The traffic in this city is, how you say...for shit?"

Lucy couldn't help but grin.

"I know how that can be," Lucy said. "I'm sorry to say I've eaten already, but...perhaps you'd care to order?"

Ninotchka smiled and nodded, and Lucy graciously pulled out the blonde's seat, and carefully pushed it in. She signalled for the return of the waiter, and asked for a menu.

"No menu," Ninotchka said. "First, a vodka. Then, a light salad. I am afraid that driving has corrupted my appetite."

The waiter noted the order on his pad, and returned to the kitchen.

Lucy and Ninotchka sat for a moment, the silence surprisingly comfortable.

"I vas surprised to be contacted by your..." Ninotchka trailed off, prompting Lucy to fill in the blank.

"Ah, that was Scud," Lucy admitted, her cheeks flushing a light pink. "I'm sorry if he was...weird."

"Not veird, just...secretive," the Russian replied. "He vould not give much in details."

Lucy shrugged and gave her most charming smile. "Well, sometimes the less you tell, the more that can be revealed."

"True," Ninotchka responded.

Lucy couldn't help but smile at the sound of the rolled 'r' that came from the woman opposite her. She had a feeling she could listen to her for a long time. She only wished that her name had an 'r' so she could hear the woman say it.

"So...perhaps you could tell me, da?"

Lucy felt a little caught. This wouldn't be the first time that her second-in-command had failed to communicate to a beautiful woman that the scheduled meet was a 'date' more than a job.

Lucy was saved from replying by the waiter's timely return with a glass of vodka. Ninotchka took it gratefully and drank deeply. She exhaled sharply and smiled.

"True Russian Vodka," she complimented. "So few American's care about quality these days. Vhich is vhat I admire about you Miz Diamond...you certainly care about quality."

"I only have the very best," Lucy assured.

"So...the job? Who, vhy and vhen?"

Lucy's eyes twinkled a little. "Who said there was a job?" she asked. "Can't two women just...get to know each other a little? Over a nice dinner, some wine...or vodka. Just to...talk?"

Lucy wondered if Ninotchka's eyes would actually fall out. The assassin recovered gracefully, though she tipped what was left of the vodka down her throat.

"Your Scud left that part of the conversation out," Ninotchka said.

"My Scud often does," Lucy laughed.

Ninotchka smiled tentatively. "Alright. Vell...vhat vould you vish to talk about?"

"Well...tell me about you. How long have you been an assassin?" Lucy asked, leaning her chin on her hand, her elbow resting on the table.

"Eight years," Ninotchka replied. "Vhen I vas vorking vith the FSB, I vas trained from young age. Both mother and papa died vhen I was four. My uncle was KGB, and I vanted to be like him. I enlisted vhen I vas sixteen, and vorked with them for five years. Then eight years ago...I vas discharged. I vas good at only few t'ings. Killing and maiming."

"FSB?"

"KGB vas disbanded," Ninotchka responded. "Though foreign nations rarely acknowledge new name for our Intelligence Sector. FSB is Federal Security Service. KGB has such poor reputation in America. Many of its units vere legitimate, and did good vork, despite the terrible incidents of past."

Lucy couldn't help but be interested, and, as Ninotchka ate her salad, she discovered more about Russia's Security Service, and the history of the KGB. Ninotchka had a lot of stories about her home land, and about her family that Lucy couldn't help but be intrigued by. The rolling 'r's and the big blue eyes didn't hurt either.

Lucy was on her third glass of wine, unprecedented in her last few blind dates, and finding Ninotchka more and more charming as the evening wore on. And once Ninotchka had figured out that this was a date, the blonde had loosened up and had been telling tale after tale about her trials and tribulations with her former employers, and about a few of her more recent exploits in the assassination business as well.

"Only two veeks ago, I vas approached by a man who vished his vife to die, but only if he could frame his vork partner for the crime. Vell, doink one vas simple, but both was...harder. So, to create the crime scene-"

The tale was interrupted by Lucy's glass breaking. Both women jumped, startled. Lucy's hand carefully navigated through the remains of the broken glass, and found a set of black binoculars. Her eyes hardened, and she looked up, surprised to see three girls in familiar plaid skirts, as well as a man in black Homeland Security uniform.

"Fuck me," Lucy muttered.

Her hand reached into her jacket, but before she could grab hold of her gun, there were four agents above her with their guns trained on her. From the table beside her, a bottle of wine was uncorked, the pop of the flying cork sounding a lot like gunfire. And within a heartbeat, more guns were firing. Lucy grabbed Ninotchka's hand and ran with her towards the bar, leaping over it and landing hard. She grabbed her gun, and was unsurprised to see Ninotchka do the same.

"Who are they?" Ninotchka asked.

"D.E.B.S," Lucy sneered. "And the only good D.E.B is a dead D.E.B."

Ninotchka nodded and flipped the safety on her gun. "Vhat's the plan?"

Lucy popped her head above the bar, only to duck behind it quickly, as she realised that the D.E.B.S were no longer on the floor above, but had abseiled down to the ground level with their Homeland Security buddy. From one floor up, there also seemed to be other branches of security agencies working with them.

"We kick ass, we get out of here, and maybe end up in a club somewhere. I have the distinct urge to dance with you," Lucy replied.

Ninotchka smiled. "I like that plan."

Lucy grinned and the two women moved to either side of the bar, and began shooting at the D.E.B.S and the other agents that flanked them.

"I think there's an exit through the kitchens," Lucy yelled over the gunfire. "How fast can you run?"

"Like vind...vhen motivated," Ninotchka replied.

Lucy smiled. Laughing in the face of danger. Her kind of girl.

"Alright. I'll cover you. Run through the door on your left. I'll be right behind you."

The blonde nodded, and waited for a break in he gunfire. When she had her break in the fire, she ran for the kitchen, and watched impatiently as the shootout continued. She turned her gun on the D.E.B.S and shot at the woman who seemed to be the leader of the group, a beautiful dark-skinned girl with a very large gun.

Her gunfire caused the woman to duck behind a pole, and Lucy took that moment to race towards the door. Lucy grabbed hold of Ninotchka's hand and the twosome ran as fast as they could towards the car park. Lucy grinned as she saw the sky-blue car, engine running, waiting patiently. She pointed Ninotchka to the car, and swiftly opened the back door. Ninotchka jumped in quickly and scooted across the seat. Lucy climbed in after her, and had barely closed the door when the young man behind the wheel pressed the accelerator.

"Evening, ladies," he greeted them with a smile. "Good date?"

"To die for," Lucy replied, out of breath but smiling. Her hand reached across the seat to find Ninotchka's. She couldn't help but grin when she heard the sharp intake of breathe from the Russian. Her smile widened further.

Of course, the fact that she now owed Scud a huge favour was something that didn't bare thinking about. Of course, if she found Ninotchka even half as interesting tomorrow as she had this evening, she wouldn't mind paying him his weight in diamonds.

And for Ninotchka Kaprova...well, the true Ninotchka was on her way to a hospital, with a gunshot wound from an enthusiastic newbie Homeland Security agent. And the only blonde woman who'd been on-hand at the restaurant and knew anything about Russia, and could fake a Russian accent, had been a woman named Amy Bradshaw.

A D.E.B to be precise.

A spy.

The Perfect Score.

And now, Ninotchka Kaprova, Russian Assassin.

Who was holding hands with Lucy Diamond, and didn't feel even the slightest hint of guilt when her fingers curled tightly around Lucy's.

(I had you worried though, didn't I?)

TWO: EXCITEMENT

Amy Bradshaw couldn't help but look around in wide-eyed awe at the large warehouse that she was currently receiving a tour of. Not one single agent in the entire American alphabet soup of bureaus even knew where Lucy Diamond's lair was, and here she was, not even graduated from the Academy, and she was being given a guided tour. Holding hands with Lucy Diamond no less.

She couldn't help but grimace at the sign posted to one of the railings. "A good D.E.B is a dead D.E.B."

If anything could remind her of what exactly she was doing here, that sign was it.

Lucy guided her through a labyrinth of corridors and into a large open room, a large world globe near the stairs and a big couch by a window with a view of the docks beside it. Amy couldn't help but notice the globe had been drawn on, with a large 'X' in the centre of Australia.

"X marks the spot?" she asked.

Lucy scowled at the oddly shaped country. "More a target mark then a treasure map."

"You do not like the Australians?"

"I don't like their attitudes," Lucy muttered, and pulled Ninotchka away from the globe and towards the couch. The thief collapsed gracefully, and pulled her date down with her.

"So...did you have fun tonight?" Lucy asked, a charming smile gracing her lips.

Amy couldn't help but laugh a little. "Surprisingly, yes," she replied. "It vos good date."

Truth. Dammit.

"Until those damn D.E.B.S meddled," Lucy scowled.

"I haff heard they are good at vot they do," Amy said. The defense of her team was a little half-hearted. She had no doubt that her three team-mates were somewhat panicked now that she was out of sight and out of contact. They were professionals though, so she knew they wouldn't do anything rash until they had more information.

Lucy snorted a little. "Well, sometimes. And then there are days where they make rookie mistakes. Dropping a set of binoculars during a stakeout? Not very professional."

Amy tilted her head in acknowledgement. She had a faint suspicion that the culprit had been Janet. The girl was sweet as honey, but there were moments where she could barely even pass as a spy.

"Are ve safe here?" Amy asked.

"No one's ever found us here," Lucy replied confidently. "Scud's security system is top of the line. One good thing about working out of an old warehouse...no one expects Lucy Diamond to be in a rundown place like this."

Amy had to give the woman credit for her logic. In all the times that the different bureaus had tried to locate Lucy Diamond, the last place anyone would have thought to look was by the docks. Amy knew that there had been many raids on upper-class mansions and even some hotels, all for naught. Never, though, had anyone even suggested that the thief would choose a hideout that didn't make use of the stolen wealth.

That was slightly worrying. If it was impossible to find, it meant that so was Amy.

And, Amy had to admit, that even though she'd been going on missions for three years now, there was something about this mission that was making her very nervous. It wasn't just the fact that she'd had absolutely no preparation before going undercover, or the fact that there she had very limited ways of contacting her team. There was something about Lucy Diamond that was just so...real.

She hadn't been expecting that.

Amy had spent the last four months preparing her thesis paper on Lucy Diamond, trying to get a more accurate read on the criminal and what exactly made her tick. Obviously it wasn't the wealth that concerned her the most. If it was, the warehouse would have been far swankier.

Power, perhaps, Amy mused. Proving to everyone that Lucy Diamond could get into high security areas with barely a moment of planning, and getting through what was meant to be solid security.

Lucy Diamond had a reputation amongst the agents who sought to catch her. Any agent who met the woman never lived to tell the tale.

Sitting beside the bad-ass master criminal should have been a nerve-racking experience for Amy, and yet...she sighed softly, her entire body relaxed. She hadn't expected to be so comfortable.

"Tired, baby?" Lucy asked softly.

Amy turned to look at her 'date', and was surprised by just how close Lucy was sitting. Their eyes met, and Amy couldn't help but dart her tongue out to lick at suddenly dry lips. Lucy's eyes tracked downwards, and the thief let out a shuddering breath.

Without a moment more of hesitation, Lucy leant forward and met Amy's lips with her own, seeking out the soft pink tongue that had caught her attention moments ago.

Amy's eyes closed involuntarily. Her ex-boyfriend had nothing on Lucy Diamond.

Moments later, they pulled apart, and Amy leant her forehead against Lucy's, their lips close, breathing each other in. Lucy smiled, taken by complete surprise at just how well the evening had gone, despite the long wait. If anything, the wait had definitely been worth it.

Lucy's hand drifted from its place on the couch towards Amy's waist, sneaking beneath the tight white shirt, and brushing the soft skin of Amy's stomach. The blonde breathed in sharply, surprised at the intensity of feeling that Lucy Diamond was able to evoke within her.

Amy pulled Lucy closer, but the thief hadn't been prepared, and lost her balance, toppling on top of the blonde, who landed on the floor, with Lucy sprawled on top of her. There was a moment of stunned silence before Lucy started snickering. Amy was shaking a little from the effort it took not to begin giggling, entirely sure that it wouldn't do for a Russian assassin to giggle.

The two girls stayed on the ground, Lucy on top of the blonde, trying to get their laughter under control. Lucy settled on a happy grin.

"D'you know, despite the shootout with the D.E.B.S, this has probably been the best date I've ever been on," Lucy admitted.

Amy couldn't help the charmed smile. It hadn't been a bad date on her behalf either. Lucy was fun and carefree in a way that her friends at the D.E.B.S Academy weren't. Max was so very serious all the time. Dominique...well, Amy got the impression that Dom didn't particularly care for her. And Janet was...unusually perky for a spy. And while the younger blonde's heart was in the right place, there was still a tenseness to their relationship that Amy just hadn't felt with Lucy.

Amy lifted her upper body off the floor, and reached towards Lucy, catching the brunette in a kiss that would have made the thief weak-kneed had she been standing. Thankfully for Lucy, she was already exactly where she wanted to be.

Of course, had they been in her bedroom, things would have been even better. She gave the blonde another kiss before pulling away. She helped the Russian to her feet and grabbed hold of her hand.

"Come on...I know a much more comfortable place," Lucy said.

Amy was pulled along behind Lucy, her mind racing and her heart speeding even further ahead. Sure she'd been undercover before, but never with someone so...alluring.

Lucy led them to her bedroom, and Amy barely had the time to feel nervous before she found herself lying on Lucy Diamond's bed with the notorious criminal on top of her, smiling in a way that took Amy's breath away.

"I have wanted to kiss you all night," Lucy admitted.

"So kiss me," came Amy's reply, unthinkingly.

Lucy, unused to obeying orders, but entirely happy to comply, brought her lips to meet Amy's, her body settling comfortably on top of the spy. Amy couldn't help but notice how perfectly they fit together.

And before all thoughts vanished completely, Lucy wondered if she'd ever live down the fact that Scud had actually managed to find her the perfect date.

THREE: ENTERTAINMENT

Amy awoke completely naturally, which was something of a first for her. Usually she was either being awoken by her alarm, or by Max who had a tendency to yell as she tried to awaken her housemates.

Her eyes slowly took in the sight beside her, and she felt her heart begin beating faster as she remembered the evening before. Lucy Diamond was definitely one of the most beautiful women in the world. And coming from a D.E.B who knew many other beautiful women, that was certainly saying something.

Amy's hand reached out to touch Lucy's cheek, unable to keep her hands to herself.

Lucy's hand shot out and grabbed Amy's wrist, the thief's eyes opening quickly, her mind processing the information. With a sheepish grin, she let go of her grip on Amy's hand.

"G'morning," Lucy rumbled softly.

Amy smiled at the sleep-laden voice. "Morning," she replied. "I didn't mean to vake you."

"S'alright. I didn't want to sleep the day away," Lucy replied. She shifted her body, bringing herself up on an elbow and staring down at her lover. She pressed a soft kiss to Amy's cheek, and rubbed their noses together.

Amy smiled at the gesture and couldn't help but to kiss the thief, slowly and deeply.

"Mmm, now it's definitely a good morning."

Amy tangled her hands in Lucy's hair, and gently pulled the brunette towards her. The moment was spoiled however, when Lucy's stomach began growling loudly. Lucy bit her lip in annoyance, and Amy couldn't help but giggle.

"Breakfast?" Amy asked.

Lucy hung her head, annoyed at her body for wanting something far less exciting.

"Alright. Breakfast."

Lucy reluctantly rolled away from Amy, and walked towards her closet. She pulled on a pair of worn jeans and slipped into a black top which showed her cleavage to the best effect.

"You're a little taller than I am," Lucy noted, as she rummaged through her wardrobe for another change of clothing. She found a skirt and a white shirt, and handed them to Amy who quickly changed. The shirt was a little short, and showed her midriff. Lucy grinned in appreciation, and then focussed on the skirt. It seemed as though Amy's legs went on forever.

"Comfortable?" Lucy asked.

Amy nodded. It wasn't too different than what she was used to wearing for the D.E.B.S every day. She slipped into her shoes and followed Lucy down the hallways and out into the open air. Amy caught sight of the license plate on Lucy's car and snickered. 'NDASKY'. Very clever.

"Vhere are you taking me?" she asked as Lucy unlocked the car. Amy couldn't help but be impressed when Lucy opened the passenger door for her, and closed it when she'd taken her seat.

"There's a place not far from here. They're open 24/7, and they do a surprisingly good breakfast," Lucy replied as she slid into the driver's seat and slid the cars into the ignition. With a roar, the car rumbled to life, and Lucy pressed her foot to the accelerator. "You might want to put on your seatbelt!"

Amy did as instructed, and Lucy shifted into a higher gear, expertly navigating her way through the streets before taking a sharp turn into an abandoned tunnel. Amy couldn't help the thrill of fear that sparked through her, but Lucy just grinned. The tunnel lights became dimmer, and signs began appearing, warning travellers to turn back, but Lucy just kept up the speed. When a graffiti-covered dead-end appeared, Amy felt her heart leap into her throat, and she looked across to Lucy, who just winked at the blonde.

Before Amy could even protest, they were through the wall, safe and sound on the other side, in a half-empty parking lot outside of a rundown building that was labelled 'The Junk Pit' in foot high paint. Lucy swung the car into an empty space, and stopped the car.

"Breakfast awaits, my lady," Lucy said.

Amy breathed a sigh of relief at managing to get through the car-ride in one piece. Getting out of the car, it occurred to her to eat something light so that she wouldn't lose her meal on the return ride home.

To the lair, she corrected herself. Return ride to the lair.

Amy shook herself out of her thoughts and followed Lucy into the building. It was a lot bigger on the inside than it had seemed from the exterior.

Lucy led them to a booth, where a pink-haired punk was sitting with a blue-haired goth. The two teens took one look at Lucy and quickly vacated the booth. Lucy and Amy slid into the centre of the rounded seat, Lucy casually folding one foot beneath her and bringing her other leg up to hug her bended knee.

Amy sat beside her, their shoulders just barely touching. The blonde couldn't help the slight hitch n her breathing as Lucy reached over to caress her hand. She'd never felt anything like this before. She had a bad feeling that she would never feel anything like this again either.

A bored teenager with red-rimmed strung-out eyes wandered over to their booth. "Whaddya want?"

Lucy rolled her eyes at the teen. "Coffee. Black."

"You haff fresh fruit?" Amy asked.

The teen shrugged and nodded.

"A bowl of mixed fruits. No pineapple."

The teen nodded, and without a word he wandered back to the kitchen.

"Sorry about the uh...crap service," Lucy offered.

Amy smiled and kissed Lucy's cheek. "Is not to vorry," she assured her. "In Russia, there is all sorts of bad vaiters. No vorse than Americans."

Lucy looked relieved, and Amy had to force herself not to kiss the woman again. It was frightening how natural kissing Lucy had become in the course of a night, but she knew that she needed to be more careful.

"Now...I must use bathroom," Amy said, scooting across the bench seat. "I vill see you in a few minutes."

Lucy nodded and kept her eyes on the blonde, or more specifically on the blonde's ass, watching as she swayed seductively towards the restrooms. Lucy sighed and couldn't help the smile that slowly lit up her face. Who could have known that a Russian assassin would be so captivating?

Amy quickly checked the other stalls to ensure that the bathroom was as empty as it looked. She slipped off her left shoe and opened the small compartment in the high heel. Inside was a small video phone, which she quickly used to dial up the D.E.B.S house that she shared with her team.

"Max."

Amy rolled her eyes at the terse greeting. "Amy," she responded.

"Well, it's about goddamned time," Max yelled. "Do you know how worried we were?"

"I'm sorry alright, this is the first moment I've had to myself," Amy defended herself.

Max sighed loudly. "You're alright? No injuries? You kept your cover?"

"Yes to all three," Amy replied. "What the hell happened last night? Who's binoculars were those?"

"Your boyfriends," Max replied, her voice lowering to a growl. "He was trying to wrestle them away from me, complaining about how dangerous it was for you to be alone with Diamond. He got them off me, and then dropped them. Sorry about that by the way."

"It's alright. If anything, you solidified my cover even more," Amy replied.

"So...what was the job?" Max asked. "Why were Diamond and Kaprova meeting?"

Amy froze. She hadn't really remembered the fact that the D.E.B.S team didn't know that the night before had been a date rather than a job.

"Well, it was more of an interview then a job set-up," Amy improvised. "There's no target yet."

"But you think there will be? Did Diamond believe your back story?"

"Yeah, I'd say she bought it," Amy affirmed.

She closed her eyes and leant her head against the cool tiles on the wall. Talking to Max and remembering last night, not just the mission that she was meant to be on, but the memory of Lucy's lips sliding over hers, Lucy's hands wandering down her skin, Lucy's tongue sliding –

NO!

She was Amy Bradshaw, the Perfect Score. She was the perfect spy, or was meant to be the perfect spy, according to the Academy. She was their Poster Child for God's sake. She should not be having this kind of crisis. Then again, she shouldn't have been having the kind of crisis that she'd had the night before. Not even Bobby had been able to make her have crises like that.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm fine. L – Diamond was uh, interested in what I – Ninotchka – could do for her, so I think we should let this play out a while."

"Good idea, Amy," Max said. "The more we can learn about Diamond the better. Just, try to stay in contact alright? D.E.B.S out."

Amy flicked the communications device off and replaced it in her shoe. She splashed some water on her face and walked back out to where Lucy was sipping at her coffee, and picking at Amy's bowl of fruit.

Lucy glanced up, and the smile on her face was enough to make Amy feel like the worst sort of traitor in the world. She retook her seat, her hand shaking slightly as Lucy took hold of it.

"Are you up for some fun today?" Lucy asked.

Amy cocked her head to the side. "Vhat kind of fun?"

"The best kind."

FOUR: EMPLOYMENT

Bank robberies from the other side of the law were...well, Amy hated to admit it, but they were actually extremely energising. She could see why Lucy seemed to thrive on the heists that she continually pulled off. The adrenaline that was shooting through Amy's body, and making her heart beat as fast as it had last night were absolutely addicting.

Amy's eyes caught hold of Lucy's and the brunette smiled. Amy desperately wanted to lick the other woman's dimples, but shook herself to keep her mind on the job. Emptying out the vault had been surprisingly easy, and Scud had one ear on the radios, which meant that any chatter between government officials was being relayed to the team.

"D.E.B.S on route," Scud warned.

"Ve should go," Amy said.

"Well, I'd say we're done here. Scud, fire up the car. We're outta here," Lucy instructed.

Scud gave a sloppy sarcastic salute, but walked briskly ahead to get the car started. Lucy's lackeys finished loading the cash into the back of an unmarked van, and quickly took off to a pre-arranged location, taking a route that would confuse anyone trying to follow them.

Lucy and Amy followed at a more sedate pace, listening to the oncoming sirens, that had arrived far too late to stop the bank robbery.

"How'd it feel baby?" Lucy asked. "Your first bank robbery?"

"My first robbery," Amy assured her. "Usually it is all about the maiming and the killing...I find this refreshing change of pace."

Lucy grinned. "Gets your heart pumping huh?"

Amy grinned. They stopped just inside the door of the bank, and Lucy pulled Amy to her, kissing her deeply.

"I don't know what it is about robbing banks. It just makes me want to fuck you silly."

Amy's breath caught, and she licked her lips, savouring the taste of Lucy on her lips.

"I like that plan," she admitted.

Lucy grinned and tilted her head. "Well, let's go then."

Amy grinned and took Lucy's hand.

"FREEZE! D.E.B.S! You're under arrest!"

Amy couldn't help but sigh in frustration at the interruption. Janet always did have the worst timing.

Lucy rolled her eyes at the young D.E.B who had confronted them.

"And vhere is the rest of your team, little D.E.B?" Amy asked.

Janet couldn't help but check over her shoulder, despite the fact that Max and Dominique had split up earlier to cover more ground. She couldn't believe that she'd been the one to run into Lucy Diamond by herself.

"P-put your hands where I can see them," Janet instructed shakily.

Lucy gave a disgusted look, and before Janet could even blink, the thief had pulled her own gun out and pointed it at the young agent. Amy felt her heart-rate kick up a notch for an entirely new reason. No matter what had happened between she and Lucy, there was no way she could allow her lover to kill her teammate.

"You should put that gun down before you get hurt," Lucy instructed.

"O-or, you should p-put yours down," Janet replied bravely.

The sudden sound of the safety on Lucy's gun being flicked off made Janet tremble, her hands shaking. Her finger hit the trigger to her gun, and Amy dropped to the ground.

"FUCK! 'Notchka!" Lucy yelled.

The thief aimed her weapon at the agent, who seemed frozen in terror, staring at the blonde who was clutching her bleeding leg. Lucy fired several times, which jolted Janet out of her terror, and forced the young blonde to run as far and as fast as she could. As soon as she was out of Lucy Diamond's hearing, she began screaming into her communication watch, desperately calling for back-up.

Lucy shrugged out of her jacket and wrapped the black material around Amy's leg, trying to stop the flow of blood.

"It didn't hit an artery," Lucy assured herself, and Amy as well. "We'll get you back to the lair, and...you'll be safe."

Amy struggled to her feet, leaning heavily on Lucy to help her walk quickly to the car. Scud was waiting impatiently, and when the car doors closed he drove quickly away from the bank.

Glancing in the rear-vision mirror he saw the wound to Amy's thigh, and his eyes widened in shock. "Oh my God! You're shot! Oh my GOD!"

"Scud, don't freak out," Lucy instructed. "Just get us home, and then I'll stitch it up, good as new."

Scud seemed on the verge of hyperventilating, but he kept driving, speeding up to get back to the lair even faster.

"I cannot believe you shot Amy!" Max yelled.

Janet hung her head, tears welling in her eyes. Her heart clenched in fear and guilt, remembering the sound of the gun goin off, and the sudden thump f Amy hitting the floor.

"Zis is unbelievable," Dominique added. "To zink, we cannot even catch Lucy Diamond, but instead our own team-mate!"

Janet whimpered softly. "I know. I'm sorry."

"Sorry. Oh, trust me, you aren't even beginning to be sorry yet," Max threatened. "And if you even think I'll be giving you those stripes before graduation next week-"

Mr. Phipps, the D.E.B.S handler and mentor held out his hands in an effort to calm his team.

"Alright, that's enough," he warned, his deep voice bringing the girls to silence. "Janet, you said that the wound was to her lower thigh. You said you didn't see much in the way of blood, which leads me to believe that you didn't hit her artery. She'll be sore for some time, but she will recover. Max, when you next hear from Amy, make sure you get an update on what sort of medical treatment she gets."

Max nodded, calming slightly now that she had a clear mission to think of.

"Now, the next time Lucy Diamond is spotted, we'll be arranging for not only an apprehension of Diamond, but an extraction for Amy," Phipps continued. "With Amy hurt, the rules have to change. Dominique, I want you to keep your ears alert for any sign of Diamond. We have to be ready to move in at any moment. Getting Amy back will be our first priority. Capturing Diamond will be the icing on the cake. Any questions?"

The trio shook their heads, and Phipps nodded.

"And D.E.B.S, be careful."

With that, he transported away, leaving the girls behind with a gush of wind.

"Okay...Dominique, get on the radio, start making some calls. Let's see if we can't find Diamond before she makes her next move. Amy's hurt, and I'm not about to leave her to Lucy's Diamond's mercy."

Dominique nodded, and left the table. Janet dared to peek up at her squad captain who glared at the younger agent.

"Janet, you're going to get online, and see if anyone's heard anything about today's heist. If any of Diamond's crew are bragging, we may be able to trace their whereabouts."

Janet nodded, and thankfully escaped. Max just sighed, shaking her head. When all this was over, she would take great pleasure in strangling Amy Bradshaw for getting into the strangest of situations.

Amy winced in pain, but didn't cry out. Lucy couldn't help but be impressed by how stoically the assassin was taking the stitches that Lucy was carefully sewing into the woman's skin.

"You've done this before?" Lucy asked.

"Vonce," Amy replied, barely remembering to produce the Russian accent. "Vhen I vas first training to be assassin. Only, that time, my partner shot me in calf."

Amy winced when Lucy hit a particularly tender area. She looked down, surprised by the small and even stitches that the thief was carefully applying.

"You seem to haff done this a time or two yourself," Amy noted.

"Well, in this line of work, you don't usually get to roll into an ER," Lucy explained. "My father taught me the value of knowing how to sew people up."

"Your father...he vas head of Diamond Syndicate, yes?"

"Yes. He died a few years ago, and I took over."

"Did you vant this life?" Amy asked softly.

Lucy paused in her stitching and considered the question. "Yes and no," she replied. "It was all I knew. But, I didn't want to be a criminal. I always wanted to be a pirate."

Amy couldn't help the laughter that bubbled up. "Is not a pirate a criminal also?"

Lucy laughed. "Oh...yeah, I never thought of that."

Amy smiled and closed her eyes, trying to stop the dizziness from overtaking her. The pain from the bullet-wound, as well as from the stitching was making hr a little light-headed. Lucy's close proximity wasn't helping either.

Lucy finished the stitches, and gently pressed her lips to the wound. She couldn't believe how close she'd come to losing Ninotchka during what should have been an everyday heist.

"Next time," Lucy mused quietly, "we'll just have to be more careful."

FIVE: ENRAPTURE

Had anyone asked a week ago if Amy would ever have enjoyed the aftermath of being shot, Amy would have laughed her head off before yelling at the offending questioner. Now, however, being waited on hand and foot by the incredibly gorgeous Lucy Diamond, Amy was rethinking the answer to what should have been an easy question.

"How do you feel, baby?" Lucy asked, her voice soft, her brown eyes reminding Amy of liquid velvet.

"Like I could fly," Amy replied.

Lucy smiled. "That's the drugs, 'Notchka," Lucy teased.

Amy laughed and closed her eyes, snuggling closer to her lover, who trailed feather-light fingers up Amy's arm. Lucy leant in for a kiss, which Amy granted easily.

It had been a week since Amy had been shot, and a week since her last check in with the D.E.B.S. It wasn't that she hadn't had the opportunity to speak with them, it was more to the point that Amy didn't really want to speak with them. And, she comforted herself, it wasn't as though Lucy had been making any mad plans to take over the world in the last week, so really, it was best to just keep undercover.

Or, to keep under Lucy's covers.

Amy sighed, wondering how she could feel this content when she was breaking so many federal statutes at that exact moment. She mentally shrugged and kissed Lucy once again.

Lucy murmured appreciatively and lifted a hand to play with the Amy's hair.

"Are you ready to face the world?" Lucy asked.

"No bank robberies this time?" Amy asked.

"None," Lucy assured her. "Just you and me. Dinner for two. A real chance at a second date."

Amy was charmed, and nodded immediately. "I'd love to. Vhere vill ve go?"

"You leave that up to me, baby," Lucy smiled. "You just rest up for tonight."

The blonde nodded and fell back against her pillow. She closed her eyes, picturing in her mind the evening to come. Sitting across the table from Lucy Diamond, staring into those beautiful brown eyes. Nothing could be better.

"Intelligence tells us that Lucy Diamond and her new accomplice, Ninotchka Kaprova, will be venturing out to the city tonight," Mr. Phipps briefed the top D.E.B team, who sat around the table with him eating lunch. In front of them, a holographic screen showed pictures of Lucy Diamond, and the D.E.B.S ID card photo of Amy Bradshaw.

"Before Diamond went underground two years ago, she was constantly seen at this restaurant," Phipps explained, as the screen in front of them changed to the restaurants website. "Nine Lives has a very select guest list, and when we told their management we'd be doing surveillance, they weren't thrilled by the idea. So, inside the dining room, there is to be no confrontation whatsoever. Amy's extraction and the capture of Lucy Diamond has to happen in the exterior. The best place to set an ambush will be in the private parking lot."

"Do we expect Diamond to be travelling with her lackeys?" Max asked.

"No, but don't get complacent," Phipps replied. "No doubt Diamond is going to be even more paranoid about being watched after the last few run-ins she's had with us."

"And Amy's meant to be with her?" Janet asked, her voice soft, the guilt still seeping from every pore.

Phipps nodded. "By all accounts, Amy will be there tonight. This goes without saying of course, but, D.E.B.S, be careful."

Amy clutched Lucy's arm, the duo walking slowly into the restaurant, in favour of the wound on Amy's leg. They were seated quickly in a quiet corner with a view of the park across the street, the setting sun hitting the trees with just the right lights to give it an autumn glow. Amy smiled, her artist's eye appreciating the colours.

"What are you thinking?" Lucy asked as she poured them both a glass of wine.

"That I w – vant to draw the park," Amy admitted, close to slipping. "Capture this moment in perfect colour."

"You're an artist?" Lucy asked, intrigued, taking a sip of the sweet chardonnay.

Amy smiled. "I haff many skills."

Lucy laughed, her wine spitting out in all directions. Even as she tried to mop up the spill with her napkin, she couldn't help but chuckle at Amy's statement.

"Vhat?" Amy asked.

"You're not a Xena fan?" Lucy asked.

"Xena? Is this a singer in your country?" Amy asked.

Lucy chuckled and shook her head. "No, no...just a warrior with a very cute partner. She has many skills, too."

Amy nodded, pretending confusion. She should have known that those late night guilty pleasure re-runs would come back and haunt her sometime.

"So, tell me about your art, 'Notchka," Lucy said. "D'you paint?"

"Paint, draw, sketch. I haff done this since I vas little girl," Amy said, glad to be finally tell Lucy the truth about at least one aspect of her life. "Vos useful vhen I vorked for KGB. Drawing vos much less hard than describing a man's face."

"You didn't want to pursue painting after the KGB?" Lucy asked.

"It does not pay bills," Amy replied sadly. "And many years ago in Russia, there vas only few vays to make money. Killing was less unpleasant."

Lucy winced, understanding immediately that the other option was prostitution. She was selfishly glad that her lover had become an assassin. They'd never have met otherwise, and the blonde would have been a vastly different person.

As the evening progressed, and more wine was sipped, Amy found herself telling Lucy things that she hadn't even told her fellow D.E.B.S. She explained more about the Art School in Barcelona that she hoped to attend, and about her fears of never quite finding where she fit in life. Amy had been finding, though, that more and more over the last few days, that she'd found someone who understood her better than ever before. Someone who just, ironically enough, let her be herself. Despite the fact that Lucy Diamond knew her as Ninotchka Kaprova, Amy Bradshaw was coming more and more to the forefront of her personality.

At the D.E.B.S Academy, the only persona they ever truly was The Perfect Score. Their super-special spy who they expected to do wonderful things. And while that may have been tremendously exciting for the first few months, eventually it became tiresome trying to live up to expectations.

The only expectation that Lucy put on her, though, was that she just be herself.

Minus a Russian accent and a past in the KGB, Lucy's 'Notchka was exactly that.

Amy lifted her wine glass and tapped it to Lucy's. "To us."

"To us," Lucy replied.

Max, Janet and Dominique were positioned at intervals through the parking lot. In the centre of their ambush zone was a sky blue car with a plate reading 'NDASKY'. Dominique, being closest to a window into the restaurant was relaying the events over her comms to the other D.E.B.S.

"It looks as though zey are zelebratin'," Dominique said. "Zey are toasting, and drinking. Amy zeems to be recovered."

Janet let out a sigh of relief.

"Zey are sharing a salad, zough Diamond will not let Amy eat all ze tomatoes."

Max snickered. "Like Diamond could stop her."

"Diamond is smiling an awful lot," Dominique noted. "Like zey are sharing a secret joke of some sort."

To Dominique, who was a master at reading body language after so many conquests, it looked more like flirting than any sort of 'joke'. She'd been part of the courting dance too many times to not be able to recognise it now. Of course, telling her team-mates that their undercover agent was having a little too much fun wasn't something that she wanted to do.

Besides, Dominique had gone the seduction route on a few of her undercover operations, as well. Who was she to throw stones, really? Perhaps it was just Amy using flirtation to keep Lucy pacified. Besides, it seemed as though the dinner was winding down, and Lucy signalled to a waited to bring the bill.

"Zey are preparing to leave," Dominique relayed to her team. "Zey will exit momentarily."

Janet and Max shifted in their places, their adrenaline kicking in. They couldn't fail at this operation. Amy's safety was riding on their success, and they would not fail her. Janet, especially, wanted nothing more than to get to her knees and beg Amy for her forgiveness. Shooting a teammate was not conducive to healthy sleeping.

Janet tensed as she saw Amy and Lucy leaving the restaurant. Amy was standing far too closely to the thief for any of the team to have a clear shot at the brunette. Max cursed their bad luck.

"FREEZE! D.E.B.S! You're under arrest!"

Lucy pushed Amy behind her, not wanting her lover to be caught in the crossfire again. The thief scanned her surroundings, mentally calculating the fastest path to her car. They were surrounded, but Lucy had no intention of surrendering. Not today, and not to the D.E.B.S. Especially not when Ninotchka's safety was in her hands.

Lucy pulled her gun and aimed it at Max, who took cover behind a car. Lucy grabbed hold of Amy's hand, and pulled her towards the car, Amy dashing after her as quickly as her wounded leg could manage.

"AMY!" Janet yelled.

Amy couldn't help but stare at Janet in horror for yelling out her name. Lucy didn't seem to notice, however, and just laid down coverfire in order to get them to the car.

A well-aimed bullet from Dominique flattened one of the tyres, and Lucy swore loudly as she threw the door open, pushing Amy into the car. Lucy keyed the ignition and put her foot to the accelerator. The car jolted forward, without its usually finesse or speed.

Bullets sped at them from behind, and Amy flinched at each ricochet that hit the back window. Apparently Lucy Diamond had bulletproof windows.

"How did they know vhere to find us?" Amy yelled over the roar of the engine.

Lucy shook her head, her lips pursed in anger. Only a select amount of people had known where she and Ninotchka would be dining that evening, and her lover hadn't been one of them. Which could only mean that someone had leaked her whereabouts. Her crew was rock solid, which meant that the restaurant would definitely be experiencing a drop in clientele. And also, probably a robbery of its bank accounts.

Lucy made a note to discover where they banked and take them for all they were worth.

Suing people just took so much time.

SIX: ENDURANCE

Max paced angrily through the living room of the squad's house, her boots clomping noisily on the hardwood floors. Janet watched silently, her eyes flickering guiltily around the room. Dominique was sprawled on the couch, a cigarette dangling from her fingers, smoke blowing gently from her nostrils.

"How could this have happened?" Max fumed.

"Zese z'ings...zey happen," Dominique replied.

Max threw her hands up in frustration and flung herself onto the couch beside the French D.E.B. She took the cigarette from Dom's hand and took a deep drag, hoping that the nicotine would calm her down.

"So, we try again," Janet suggested quietly.

"Only this time, we try it without screaming Amy's name in the middle of the op," Max scowled.

Janet looked down at the floor. "That was an accident."

Max rolled her eyes and took another puff at the cigarette before handing it back to Dominique.

"Well, at least we know that Amy's cover is still in effect. And that Amy doesn't seem to be injured. She was limping a little, but it's only been a week since Janet shot her."

"Accidentally shot her," Janet retorted.

"Whatever," Max waved her hand in dismissal. "So...what now?"

"Diamond is not one to lay low," Dominique said. "All we have to do is watch and wait. Zey will not hide for long."

Max nodded. It wasn't the best of options, but it was all they had.

"Alright. Operation: Extract Amy is still on. But I want that Diamond bitch caught, you got me?"

Janet and Dominique nodded, and Max went back to pacing the length of the room. Janet sighed. It was going to be a long afternoon.

Lucy lay on her back, a sheet covering her naked body. Panting for breath, she turned to look at her lover who was equally out of breath and looking deliciously rumpled.

"What is it about being shot at that gets us so hot?" Lucy asked.

"Danger," Amy replied succinctly. "Danger is hot."

Lucy grinned. "Tell me about it. You are definitely dangerous."

Lucy's phone buzzed, and the thief stared at it, tossing up whether she should answer it. She rolled her eyes and reached for the cell-phone, pushing the small green button and bringing it to her ear.

"This better be good," she barked.

Amy relaxed back onto the mattress as Lucy listened to whoever had interrupted them. The D.E.B knew that she should probably get in contact with her team after last nights fiasco, but really, it was still early. She wanted to get in as much time with Lucy as she could. No doubt her team wanted to extract her from the operation.

Of course, if Amy had really wanted, she could have done a self-extraction at any point. There was still so much to learn about Lucy Diamond though. So much intelligence that se could pass on to the D.E.B.S.

Amy sighed. Who was she kidding? She wouldn't be able to tell the D.E.B.S anything about Lucy Diamond. The woman was so much more complex than Amy had ever imagined. She was more vibrant, and more charming that Amy would ever have guessed.

Lucy ended the call and put her phone back on the night-stand.

"Looks like we've got another job tonight," Lucy said with a smile. "You up for some fun?"

"I am always ready for fun," Amy replied.

In the level below Lucy's bedroom, Scud's fingers flew over the keyboard as he went over the specs for the coming mission. The last few had been disasters, and he wanted to make sure that everything was in order. The D.E.B.S had spoiled their plans so thoroughly, and Scud figured that it was about time that they start turning the tables on the plaid-wearing women.

During the last mission, he'd managed to get a good look at only one of the agents involved, and was trying to find her bio online. Of course, matching a face to a name was harder than it seemed when all of the D.E.B.S seemed to be beautiful women.

He three computer monitors on his desk flashed with information about the D.E.B.S that he had found access to. After a half hour search through various links, Scud had come across the photo of the woman he'd seen the night before. Janet Carmody. Sector One D.E.B, junior grade agent.

Scud searched through the files to find the names of Janet's teammates.

Squadron leader Maxine Brewer. Second in command, Amy Bradshaw, and specialist Dominique DeSallier.

Scud glanced over their photos, before stopping completely on Amy Bradshaw's.

He stared in complete confusion at the very familiar visage of the woman on screen.

After a few more stunned moments, Scud opened a new screen, and began searching for recent photographs of Ninotchka Kaprova. He'd never met the woman before last week, and he hadn't paid all that much attention to the photo, beyond seeing 'blonde', 'beautiful', 'Lucy's type'.

Now, though, now he was panicking.

The woman in Lucy's bed, he supposed, in passing, could pass for Ninotchka Kaprova. Blonde, beautiful and Russian.

Amy Bradshaw was blonde, beautiful and the perfect liar.

And his boss was completely in love with her.

Scud dropped his head to his desk, wondering just how these things could possibly happen.

Lucy couldn't help but marvel at the woman spread out below her. With a wicked grin, Lucy slid from the blonde's lips to her breasts, pausing to enjoy the delightful squirming and pleading.

"Luce, please...oh please."

The thief glanced up, wondering just where exactly Ninotchka had found diamond studded handcuffs to begin with, and enjoying her good fortune of being allowed to use them on the Russian.

There was definitely something to be said for watching a beautiful woman in the throes of ecstasy. Having her handcuffed and helpless just made it all the better.

"Uh...boss?"

Lucy froze and threw a vicious glare at the thankfully still closed door.

"Get the fuck outta here!" Lucy yelled.

"Uh...no can do," Scud replied. "I got something that you have got to see. Right now."

Lucy pursed her lips in anger. She pressed a quick kiss to Amy's cheek, and murmured a promise to return. Amy groaned in frustration, but was in no position to protest.

Lucy slid a sheet around her body and moved to the door, opening a tiny crack so as not to let Scud see Ninotchka's naked body.

"What?!" she yelled.

Wordlessly Scud handed Lucy a computer printout. Lucy stared in incomprehension at the D.E.B.S posted, which sported a blonde agent posed with her gun.

"And?" Lucy demanded.

"Look closer," Scud said.

Lucy rolled her eyes, but obediently took a second look. Her eyes narrowed, and she felt her heart shatter.

Scud watched hopelessly as his boss went pale, and her hand began to shake. Scud took the picture from her, and grabbed hold of Lucy's wrist.

"I'm sorry, boss," he whispered.

Lucy nodded, not even attempting to find her voice. She detached herself from Scud's grip and closed the door. She leant back against it, and looked at the woman handcuffed to her bed. If she hadn't been in so much pain, she'd have enjoyed the idea of having a D.E.B chained to her bed.

"Luce?" the woman said softly. "Vhat's going on?"

"Nothing, baby," Lucy replied, almost shocked by how steady her voice was.

The thief made her way back to the bed, unable to help admiring the spy's body stretched out before her. The woman was a consummate professional, in all senses.

"You want me?" Lucy asked, crawling onto the bed, bringing her nose to touch Amy's.

"Yes," the spy whispered softly.

"D'you love me?"

Without hesitation, without guile, without deceit, Amy answered honestly. "Yes."

Lucy brought her hand up to Amy's cheek. "I love you too, baby."

Amy smiled, and tilted her head to kiss Lucy, wanting nothing more than to feel everything that Lucy could do to her.

Lucy just wanted to forget that Scud had ever interrupted them. But for now, she would ignore the horrible truth and pretend. Like Amy Bradshaw was able to pretend. And later she would pretend that the tears she cried were a product, not of a broken heart, but from an imaginary speck of dirt that just couldn't be washed out.

SEVEN: ENRICHING

Lucy Diamond was not at all a forgiving woman. In fact, one might actually say that she was one of the worst grudge-holders in the history of man-kind. When she'd been dumped by her last girlfriend, a beautiful Sydney girl, Lucy had gone so far as to try to sink her ex's entire country as an attempt at revenge.

Hell hath no fury...

This time around, though, Lucy surprisingly was content to leave the Australian's alone. This time, she wanted her revenge on the plaid-wearing girls who'd dared to ruin the best thing in her life.

The fact that the best thing in her life was one of those plaid wearing girls was a minor inconvenience, but, Lucy figured, if the D.E.B.S were no more, than Amy Bradshaw would have to stay with her, right?

Hmmm.

Maybe not the best of ideas. It would only serve to get her a slap across the face, best case scenario.

Lucy's head fell back to rest against the headboard of her bed. Beside her, sleeping peacefully, and finally uncuffed, lay Amy Bradshaw. Lucy didn't understand how she could still feel so much for a woman who had lied to her, and manipulated her. And yet.

Amy snuffled in her sleep and burrowed in to Lucy's side, one arm encircling Lucy's waist as Amy's head came to rest between Lucy's breasts. Lucy closed her eyes and kissed Amy's forehead.

This was ridiculous, Lucy lectured herself. Falling in love with the enemy was the biggest 'Do Not' rule in the book of Bad-Ass Master Criminals for Dummies.

And yet.

Lucy sighed. This wasn't going to end well. All the greatest love stories of enemies falling in love didn't have happy endings. The greatest love story known through the world had ended with the hero and heroine committing suicide, and Lucy did not want that to happen. Not to 'Notc – Amy! Amy, Amy, Amy! Not Ninotchka.

"What have you done to me?" Lucy whispered.

She was startled to hear a soft snickering. "Vhat have I done to you? Vhat did you do to me? I haff never been so tired in my life?"

Lucy couldn't help but grin. "Yeah, well, you weren't complaining earlier.

"I am not complaining now," Amy retorted.

"Good. Will you be awake enough for tonight's job?"

Amy nodded. "Vhere are ve going?"

"Selenica's Jewels received a shipment just last night. They've been bragging for months about their newest diamond 'Sky Gazer'. I want it for my collection," Lucy said.

"Vhat is so special about it?" Amy asked.

"It's pretty," Lucy replied with a grin.

Amy raised an eyebrow, and Lucy shrugged.

"And worth over four-million dollars," the thief relayed.

"Vhat's the plan?"

"We break in and steal it. Security will be tight, so I was wondering if I could convince you to loan me your lovely skills," Lucy said.

"You vant the security guards to be killed, da?" Amy clarified.

"You got it. It should be an easy job, and you know I can pay well."

"Vell, with negotiation like that, how can I say no?" Amy asked.

Lucy smiled and gave the woman a kiss. "Alright. We'll get Scud to arm you up, and then-"

"I haff my own veapons," Amy interrupted. "I do not vork vell vith guns I am not used to."

Lucy didn't even pause. "Alright. You bring your toys, and I'll bring mine. Once the guards are taken out, we shouldn't have any problems. The Selenica isn't designed to house high-risk jewels. Sky Gazer is a one off. Considering that no major seller will ever give them another high-price diamond ever again after this. We'll head out at 1800. Until then...well, I'm sure we'll think of something."

Amy stared at the firearm that lay on her bed, her clothing next to it as she mentally prepared herself for the evening ahead. Having had next to no time before she'd started on this very strange undercover mission, she hadn't actually had time to put together any sort of emergency kit. Everything she had was what she'd been able to cary with her the first night. Thankfully, as a D.E.B, she was used to concealing all sorts of things in small spaces. Those short skirts came in handy when learning to conceal nefarious goodies.

Fifteen tranquilizer pellets disguised as bullets were her only chance of getting through this evening alive. The bullets were designed to knock out the victim with one shot, while also releasing a dark red dye that gave the appearance of being blood. They were an ingenious device that had been created solely for undercover missions. Amy was just lucky that the Homeland Security boys had been carrying them that evening.

Fifteen rounds. After that, she would reload with regular bullets. She didn't want to get to that point.

Amy took a shuddering breath and changed out of the borrowed boxer shorts. The black camouflage pant and long sleeved black shirt were a close enough fit to be comfortable. She tucked the gun into the waistband of her pants at the small of her back.

"You ready?" Lucy asked, poking her head around the doorway.

Amy smiled with a confidence she didn't feel. "Ready."

Scud grabbed hold of Lucy's elbow and pulled his boss aside. He cast a nervous glance to the spy who seemed to be eyeing the surrounding building, mentally mapping a path of which security guards would be the first to be shot.

"You're sure about this?" Scud asked. "It doesn't...oh, concern you? Having a D.E.B on board?"

"Keep your voice down," Lucy hissed, glancing around to make sure that none of their cohorts had heard Scud's question. "And, no, it doesn't concern me. She won't break cover. Yet."

"It's the 'yet' that worries me," Scud replied. "I did a bit of checking up on her. Amy Bradshaw is the D.E.B.S Perfect Score. Perfect Score means perfect spy. She is literally their poster child."

"She's also a very good liar," Lucy pointed out. "So good in fact that I'd still believe her if you hadn't found that picture. So...if she can lie so well to me, then she can definitely lie to her little friends. And that's exactly what she'll do."

"How do you figure?"

"You think the D.E.B.S will forgive her for consorting with the enemy? And when I say consorting, I do mean consorting. I doubt that was covered in the undercover manual."

Scud rolled his eyes. "So she's had a collegiate lesbian fling. All the girls do it nowadays, no one cares."

Lucy glared at her partner in crime. "It's not a fling."

Scud stared at her in disbelief. "This is retarded."

Lucy shook her head. "I just have to make her fall in love with me. And trust me, she's so hot for me that she'd give up her little friends. For me."

"If you say so, Boss," Scud said calmly. "You just better hope that this doesn't come back to bite you in the ass."

"Trust me, Scud. I know what I'm doing," Lucy assured him. She patted his shoulder and walked over to join Amy in her last minute surveillance.

"Famous last words," Scud murmured softly.

Lucy gave a silent signal to Amy who took aim with her Glock, and fired the first of her fifteen rounds. The security guard clutched at his heart before dropping to the ground. Lucy nodded in surprise at how accurate a shot the spy was.

Another silent hand signal directed the team down the hall to the second guard, who was silently and dispatched as well.

They reached the rear entrance of the building, where a PIN-keypad was mounted to the door. Scud stepped forward, attaching a small device to the base of the pad, and punched a code into his own device. Moments later the door clicked open and Scud grinned victoriously.

Lucy clapped his shoulder, and signalled for the team to move in. Five very well armed men went ahead of Lucy, Amy and Scud.

"So far so good," Lucy said.

"Define 'good'," Scud quipped.

Lucy grinned and motioned her friend into the building.

"'Notchka...you ready?"

Amy nodded and took hold of Lucy's outstretched hand. The thief led them into the building, and through a corridor towards the elevator. A set of fire-stairs beckoned, and Lucy's team were fanned out around the door, awaiting further instructions. Lucy nodded, and the team moved into the stairwell and down two flights to where the vault was kept.

Amy couldn't help but feel the thrill of adventure racing through her. It was the same feeling she had when she went on missions with the D.E.B.S, but it seemed somehow amplified.

The vault was set behind another electronically locked door, which Scud easily broke the code to. The vault, however, was a manual lock, and Lucy smiled in delight. Her specialty.

Amy watched in surprise as Lucy knelt by the combination lock, her ear pressed to the door. The men fell silent and watched as Lucy carefully moved the dial to the right, slowly, carefully. Moments later, she stopped and turned the dial to the left. Then to the right. And then the left again. Finally, she moved the dial back to '0', and then twisted the handle.

The vault opened easily, and Amy couldn't help but be impressed. She'd never seen someone actually crack a vault that way.

The boys backed away from the door, and Lucy stepped in first, breathing in deeply. She glanced back at Amy, and raised an expectant eyebrow. Amy stepped into the vault cautiously.

"This seemed too easy," Amy mused.

"You've obviously never cracked a safe," Lucy smirked.

Amy nodded her head in acknowledgement. Lucy had made it look awfully simple.

"Are ve expecting the D.E.B.S?" Amy asked.

Lucy smirked. "Low security, high profit, well publicised delivery? You bet we're expecting those meddling kids. My boys will take care of them, don't you worry. I told them to aim at the one who shot you, especially."

Amy felt a little light-headed. "Ve should leave before they arrive, da?" she asked, stepping towards the door, only to find her exit blocked by Lucy.

Lucy smiled. The door to the vault closed, and locked behind them.

"Vhat is this?!" Amy yelled.

"You can drop the accent, Amy," Lucy said. "Game's over."

EIGHT: ENTICING

Amy glanced between the locked door, and the very calm thief who stood in front of her.

"I don't know vot you mean," Amy said.

Lucy couldn't help but laugh.

"Amy Bradshaw. The Perfect Score. The Poster Child of the D.E.B.S Academy. Born in 1985 to Helen and Martin Bradshaw in Los Angeles. One younger sister, Sarah, she's what, twelve now?"

Amy's eyes flickered in anger.

"Up until about a week ago, you were dating a Homeland Security Officer, Robert 'Bobby' Matthews. Does he know what it actually takes to get you off? Did he ever cuff you to his bed, or am I just special?"

"Shut up," Amy whispered softly.

Lucy shook her head and took a step closer to Amy. She lifted a hand to touch Amy's cheek. The spy didn't know whether to flinch away or to lean in closer. Lucy made the decision for her, fitting her own body as close to Amy's as was possible, and walking the spy backwards until she hit the wall. Amy closed her eyes, feeling the heat between them, the chemistry that rose every time they touched.

"You are exceptional, Amy," Lucy whispered. "Beautiful, crafty, cunning. And I am completely in love with you."

Amy's eyes snapped open. "Y-you are?" she asked, hope in her voice. "Still?"

"Always," Lucy replied, crushing their lips together.

Amy groaned softly, and pulled Lucy closer, wanting to crawl inside her lover's skin. Despite the insanity of it all, she couldn't help the feelings that flew to the surface at Lucy's words.

"D'you love me?" Lucy whispered.

"Yes," Amy replied, so glad to admit that simple truth as Amy Bradshaw, rather than as Ninotchka Kaprova.

"D'you trust me?"

"With my life," the spy confessed.

Lucy couldn't help the smile that grew on her face. As much as she'd grown used to the Russian accent, she preferred Amy's true voice, so soft and gentle. She gave in to the urge to kiss those inviting lips, her growing addiction to Amy's kissed making them a necessity rather than a wish.

Amy lost herself to her girlfriend's passion, clinging tightly to Lucy's waist, running her hands up and under Lucy's shirt, revelling in the warm skin that she'd become so familiar with over the last few days. What was it about Lucy Diamond that could make her completely forget her surroundings?

Amy pulled away, but only enough to catch her breath. The sound of their breathing seemed to echo in the vault, and Amy could have sworn that she could hear fireworks cracking outside.

Fireworks...

The first time she'd ever heard guns being fired, she'd looked skywards, to see what was being celebrated. Those weren't fireworks.

"Luce..."

"Shhh, you trust me, remember?" Lucy reminded her.

Amy nodded, her heart in her throat. "My friends..."

"Will be fine," Lucy assured her. "You don't think you're the only one shooting tranqs, do you?"

Amy wondered for a moment how Lucy had known that she'd been shooting tranquilizers, rather than bullets. Then again, Lucy seemingly knew everything, so she really shouldn't have been surprised.

"But, your guys...my team aren't shooting blanks," Amy warned.

"They're professionals," Lucy assured her. "They'll be fine."

"They won't stop coming after me," Amy said.

"You can stop them," Lucy replied. "You can make them stop."

Amy's brows furrowed. "How? I'm a D.E.B, and you're a thief. How can this possibly work?"

"You don't have to be a D.E.B," came Lucy's easy answer. "Like I said, you're beautiful, you're crafty and you're cunning. Come with me. Think of what we could do...together."

The spy hesitated, working it over in her mind. The thought was tempting. So tempting. Running away with Lucy seemed like such an easy answer. And yet...there was still so much about Lucy that Amy couldn't understand. She and Lucy were from such different worlds.

"Diamond thieves?" Amy asked.

"Not just diamonds," Lucy said. "Baby, we could do anything. You don't have to be a spy."

Amy closed her eyes and leant her head against Lucy's shoulder.

"I...I can't be a criminal," Amy confessed.

Lucy stiffened and drew away from her lover. She reached out to touch Amy's chin, tilting the blonde's head up so their eyes could meet.

"We'd be the greatest team there's ever been," Lucy said.

"I know...but I can't," Amy said.

Lucy turned away, not wanting Amy to see the tears that were developing.

"I love you," Amy said. "But I can't...I can't go with you."

The gunfire came closer and closer, and Lucy seemed to struggle with the decision that Amy had made. She finally pulled away from Amy, nodding her reluctant acceptance.

"Alright. So, you'll...you'll go back to the D.E.B.S. Go back to chasing me," Lucy said.

"I wouldn't catch you," Amy whispered.

"Until one day, when you'd have to," Lucy said.

Amy stared in utter desolation. She couldn't understand how things had become so complicated in only a matter of minutes.

"Luce..."

"Don't...don't say anything. Just, do me a favour. When you get back to your team...don't forget me."

"Never!" Amy cried. "I could never forget you."

Lucy walked to the door, and produced a lock-picking kit, which she used expertly to open the safe from inside.

"I'm gonna come find you," Lucy promised. "Count on it."

Amy rounded a corner, her gun drawn, eyes alert. Following the sound of the gunfire may not have been the best of ideas for a normal person, but as a D.E.B, she'd discovered that gunfire always lead you to where you were needed most.

Amy carefully navigated her way across the room, using the evenly spaced columns in the lobby to give her cover. Across the room, Max, Janet and Dominique were pinned down, unable to move from their positions.

Amy, unnoticed by either side, took careful aim and began shooting at Lucy's team. She was just glad that her bullets were only tranquilizers, rather than the live rounds that would usually be used in a confrontation like this. After spending a week with Lucy and her boys, she didn't think she had the heart to shoot them. Not after having seen them gathered around a table, playing bingo, or lip-syncing to music during their downtime. The boys, for all their famed notoriety, were all teddy-bears underneath.

Three of them went down to Amy's tranqs before the other turned tail and fled.

Janet, Max and Dominique all watched in amusement at the sudden retreat.

"What took you guys so long?" Amy asked.

"Amy!" Janet yelled, rushing over to greet the blonde, hugging her tightly until Amy struggled to draw breath. Janet reluctantly let go. "I am so sorry, oh my god, I had no idea that I could accidentally shoot you, and tell me that you're alright, because I have not slept in like a week, and all that's keeping me going right now is a whole lot of coffee."

Amy tried not to snicker at Janet's rambled apology. "I can see that," Amy said. "And I'll be fine, I promise you. I just needed a few stitches, and that was it. I was mostly in bed for the rest of the week. I'm fine I promise you."

Amy just hoped that no one asked what exactly she'd been doing whilst she was in bed for most of the week.

"Good to have you back, Bradshaw," Max said gruffly.

Amy grinned. For Max, that had been almost downright emotional.

"I did not think I would miss you, but I found that I did," Dominique said. "Welcome back."

"Thanks Dom," Amy said. "Now...should we go kick some Diamond butt?"

"Your cover's blown?" Janet asked.

"Yeah. Me trying to shoot Diamond didn't really endear me to her," Amy improvised. "I wasn't getting much in the way of information out of her. She played everything pretty close to the chest."

Heh.

"Alright. Let's see if we can arrest this bitch once and for all," Max said.

The sudden screeching of tyres from outside, however, delayed their plan. The four D.E.B.S raced out the door, onto to see a two sets of tail-lights travelling into the distance.

"Damn. So much for that idea," Max sighed.

"We could follow zem," Dominique suggested. "Do you not know ze way, Amy?"

Amy nodded. "We'd need a little more prep time, but sure, I could take you there. They're security is tight, though. We'd never get in tonight. They'll be expecting us."

Max sighed. "No. Let's report back to HQ. We'll talk to Mr P. and get our directive. The main thing is that we've got Amy back. And no doubt you've got all sorts of intel that we can use."

Amy nodded. "I certainly learned a lot."

"Good," Max said. "Let's head home, then."

NINE: ENLIGHTENING

Miss Petire, head of the D.E.B.S Academy, paced around the room, strutting like a peacock. The four Top Squad members watched her, Amy with a certain amount of guilt, Dominique with placid boredness, Max with a type of hero worship, and Janet with something akin to awe.

"Oh, Annie."

"Amy," Madeline, Petrie's assistant corrected.

"Amy, I don't think you realise quite what a feather you've put in our cap," Petrie said, a smug smile on her face. "You're the first federal agent to come face to face with Lucy Diamond and live to tell the tale."

"I really didn't do anything special," Amy protested.

"Nonsense, Alice-"

"Amy."

"Amy, you infiltrated her operations. You discovered her hideout. You were living in her headquarters for over a week. You're now our foremost expert on Lucy Diamond, and you should be proud of your achievement."

Amy winced, but nodded. Achievement. That was one word for it.

"Now, I want your report on my desk, by tomorrow morning. I want you to hand deliver it to me, do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am," Amy assured her. "I'll have it ready."

"Good. I'll have our experts go over your analysis, and create a mission briefing. When you sweep through her hideout tomorrow night, you'll be in charge."

Amy glanced worriedly at Max, but the highly-strung D.E.B didn't seem to mind the change in roster. Amy breathed a sigh of relief.

"I broke cover, Miss Petrie. I'm not even sure that Lucy Diamond will remain in her current hideout. She knows that I know its whereabouts. She's not stupid, and she knows how to hide. I can tell you everything I know, but I can't guarantee that she'll be there."

"Oh, I know that Amanda-"

"Amy."

"Amy, there are no guarantees in life. But, we have to try, rather than giving up."

"Yes ma'am," Amy agreed. She could only hope that Lucy would vacate her hideout before the D.E.B.S had a chance to go in for a full sweep.

"Well, in that case...get a good night's sleep girls. And I'll see you in my office, tomorrow night Amy."

"Amy."

"That's what I said, Madeline."

Madeline winced. "Sorry."

Writing the report of her gruelling week with the notorious criminal mastermind was harder than Amy had thought it would be. Trying to give a detailed outline of what she and Lucy had been doing all week, without mentioning the mind-blowing sex meant that there wasn't actually all that much that she could write about.

The two operations that she'd been part of had been explained in full detail, including the unfortunate incident of Amy's being shot by Janet, and the subsequent and surprising healing talents of Lucy Diamond.

Amy sighed and closed her eyes, trying desperately not to think too hard about the balancing act that she was just beginning.

"Hard day at the office, honey?"

Amy spun her chair around, completely incredulous.

"Lucy! How the hell did you get in here?" Amy hissed.

Lucy smirked and moved closer, straddling Amy's waist and kissing her. Amy melted into the embrace. A quick peek at the door proved that it was thankfully closed and hopefully locked.

"I had to see you," Lucy whispered as she broke off the kiss.

"This is insane," Amy replied. She couldn't help the smile that curved her lips, just at the sight of Lucy Diamond.

"It's love, baby. It's meant to be insane."

They kissed again until Lucy began trying to pull Amy out of the chair. The spy allowed herself to be lead to the bed, falling backwards with Lucy pinning her down. The thief grabbed hold of Amy's wrists, taking a moment to stare at the beautiful woman beneath her, blonde hair fanned out on the pillow.

"You're beautiful," Lucy whispered.

Amy blushed, and bit her lip, trying not to grin like an idiot.

"God, it feels like I haven't seen you in months," Lucy said.

"We haven't even known each other that long," Amy reminded her.

Lucy shook her head, not particularly caring about semantics. "Feels like I've known you my whole life. You just...you get me Amy. You saw so much more than just 'Lucy Diamond'. You saw me."

Amy hugged her tightly, wishing more than anything that they could stay the way they were. Just Lucy and Amy, and not the thief and the spy.

"I'm so sorry I lied," Amy whispered. "And, I swear...ask me anything, and I'll tell you the truth."

Lucy smiled and ran her hands through Amy's hair.

"Do you love me?" she asked.

Amy nodded, her eyes locked to Lucy's. "So much."

"That's all I need to know," Lucy assured her. She pulled Amy closer, kissing her fiercely, while tugging at the hem of Amy's shirt. They broke apart only long enough for Amy to tug the blue tank over her head, and to unbutton Lucy's shirt before meeting frantically once more.

Amy pulled Lucy on top of her, desperate to feel her lover, knowing that it could be a while between visits. Nothing was going to stop her from loving this woman. Nothing.

"Hey Amy, have you – oh my God!"

Lucy and Amy pulled apart, and stared in horror at the blonde at the door. Janet was frozen in the door way, her mouth open in shock and a shaking hand held out in front of her.

"This isn't what it looks like," Amy assured her.

Janet shook her head, and before anyone could utter another word, Janet's hand slammed onto the red 'Panic' button on the doorframe of Amy's room. An alarm began sounding throughout the house. Lucy groaned and quickly kissed Amy once more.

The sound of footsteps in the corridor made her break away from Amy, and she pulled her shirt on just as Max and Dominique entered the room, guns drawn.

"Freeze Diamond!" Max yelled. "Don't move."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Ciao ladies."

Max took aim and fired, but Lucy was faster, running to the window and jumping through, despite being on the second floor. Max ran to the windowsill and poked her head out the window, but saw no sign of Lucy Diamond.

"Amy, are you alright?" Max demanded. "Did she hurt you? And where the hell is your shirt?"

"Yeah Amy," Janet said snarkily, "where is your shirt?"

Amy glared at her younger friend and pulled the blue tank top over her head. "It's a long story."

"You're boning the enemy," Janet cried. "Everyone thinks you're a hero, when really, you're just a slut. A gay slut."

"I'm not a slut!" Amy yelled angrily.

"Wait, back up," Max instructed. "Are you saying that...that you and Lucy Diamond were...what? Screwing?"

"I wouldn't say that," Amy replied.

Max breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God."

"We were going to make love, before we were so rudely interrupted," Amy finished.

Max tensed, her eyes finding Amy's, searching for any sign of a prank or a lie. But she found no hint of deception.

"You're serious?" Max asked.

Amy nodded, keeping her eye trained on Max's.

"Are you insane?" the squad captain asked. "Lucy Diamond? In your room? And you're...what, you're in love with her?"

"I am."

Max shook her head, her free hand moving to rub at her temple. "I am not hearing this. I cannot be hearing this."

"I'm sorry, Max. But I'm not going to lie about this."

Max continued pacing, unable to wrap her mind around the sudden turn of events. She'd actually been less stressed in the week that Amy had been incommunicado.

"Actually, Bradshaw...you are going to lie about this," Max said.

Her three teammates looked at her in confusion.

"You are going to lie. You are going to write your report, hand it to Miss Petrie, and then we're going to raid Lucy Diamond's hideout tomorrow night. You're going to lead that raid, and then we're going to forget all about this until after Endgame. We're going to graduate, we're going to earn senior rankings and then...well, after that you can go fuck all the criminal masterminds you want to, but you are not going to bring this team down because you can't keep your pants on."

"Max-"

"No, Bradshaw," Max snapped angrily. "You don't get to plead with me about this. That's how it's going to go. Two days. Even you can lie for that long. You've proven that already."

Amy finally looked away. She gave a single terse nod, and Max shook her head in disgust.

"Alright. Let's get some sleep. Not a word about tonight to anyone. Got it?"

Janet nodded shakily. "Yeah."

"Oui," Dominique replied.

Amy just nodded her agreement.

Max stared at her team before turning and walking out of Amy's room. Janet glared angrily at Amy before spinning on her heel and storming off. Dominique raised her eyebrow and smirked.

"You are far more interesting zan I thought," Dominique said.

Amy stood outside Miss Petrie's door, report in hand, waiting impatiently for the door to open. She bounced one leg nervously, wanting the meeting to be over and done with.

The door swung open and Madeline glanced out at her. "Come in," she invited.

Amy took a deep breath and walked into the office. She strode briskly to Miss Petrie's desk and handed the report to head of the Academy.

"Good morning Agent Bradley."

"Bradshaw," Madeline murmured.

"Thank you for such a timely report," Petrie said.

Amy nodded. "Everything's there. The location of Lucy Diamond's hideout, the size of her syndicate, the hierarchy of her subordinates."

"Excellent," Miss Petrie said, flipping through the report. "This is excellent work, Agent Bromwell."

"Bradshaw."

"I have to say, with your success at such an impromptu undercover operation, I have no doubt that you'll go far. That's why I've decided to award you with the prestigious D.E.B of the Year award. "

Amy's jaw dropped. "Miss Petrie-"

"No need to thank me, Agent Broadway."

"Bradshaw."

"Just ensure that your operation tonight goes as smoothly as your undercover work did, and you'll be guaranteed a position in any field after Endgame. You truly are a credit to your team-mates. Dismissed, Agent."

Amy turned and fled the office quickly. She'd never felt less like a D.E.B in her life, and now they wanted to reward her for falling in love with the enemy. Max was going to be pissed.

TEN: ENDGAME

Sitting beside Max as she drove towards the location that Amy had provided, the silence on the car was tense. Amy was nervous, guilty and worried about what exactly that would find at the warehouse. Surely, surely, Lucy would have moved her crew by now. There was no way that Lucy would have stayed when she knew that Amy would have to relay their position to her bosses.

Max pulled the car to a stop and cut the engine.

"We all know the game plan, right?" Max asked. "We sweep the building, we arrest anything that moves."

"Zhat sounds quite simple," Dominique commented. "I have no doubt zat zis will not be so."

Amy had no doubt that it wouldn't be as simple as that either.

"Well, Amy...you're in charge," Max sniped. "What're your orders?"

Amy sighed, eyeing the dark warehouse.

"Formation Alpha Gamma Zeta," Amy decided. "Janet, go with Max. Dom, you're with me. Let's do this."

The foursome got out of the VW and stealthily made their way to the building. Not a single sound came from inside. No lights flickered, and Amy whispered a quiet prayer that Lucy had evacuated the moment she'd returned home the night before.

The D.E.B.S closed in on the front door. Amy gave a silent signal to Max and Janet to go round back. Amy and Janet waited until their team had given them a 'click' on their communication watches before entering the building from front and back.

Dominique and Amy made their way through the front entrance, watching for any sign of life. Amy led them through the hallways and down to the main common area where Scud's computers were. Except when they got there, there were no computers in sight.

Amy continued down the hall, checking rooms that she'd been in only days before, and each and every one of them was empty.

"You'd better not 'ave led us to ze wrong location," Dominique whispered.

Amy shook her head. "They were here," Amy said.

Dominique sighed, disappointed. All that adrenaline build-up for nothing.

Max and Janet met up with them in the centre of the building.

"Anything?" Max asked.

"Nothing," Dominique replied. "If zhey were 'ere, zen zey are long gone."

Janet's eyes flicked up, and her eyes widened.

"They were here all right," Janet said, gulping nervously at the thought of standing in the centre of Lucy Diamond's old hideout.

Max, Dominique and Amy all followed Janet's gaze to the sign above them which read 'A good D.E.B is a naked D.E.B.'

Amy tried not to snicker.

Max shook her head in disgust. "Alright. Let's get outta here. I'm not wasting any more time here than we have to."

The others nodded, and followed Max out of the building, carefully checking for any traps they may have missed on the way inside. They made it out to the car without incident.

Amy looked back at the warehouse, its outline bathed in moonlight. She squinted at the rooftop when a very familiar silhouette appeared. A flash of light lit up the sky, and Amy recognised Lucy's signature 'LD' overlaying a diamond. The beam of light came from the figure on the roof, and Amy sighed, wishing they'd had even half a minute together.

The signal in the sky changed, a red heart with the words 'Amy, Be Mine' replacing the thief's signature. Amy bit her lip, trying desperately not to cry.

One more day. She just had to make it through Endgame, and then...the sky was the limit.

"This is insane," Scud said, looking across at his boss. "You know that this is insane, right?"

"Scud, people go to their girlfriend's graduation ceremonies all the time," Lucy replied.

"Okay, yeah, I'll give you that," Scud replied.

Lucy smirked in triumph and settled back into her seat, looking forward to seeing her girl all dolled up for the final celebration of the D.E.B.S. It was meant to be the most attended event of the year, and would host guests from all different American Agencies who would be mingling in the attempts of recruiting the newly graduated agents.

"Of course, most graduates aren't spies, and they're girlfriends aren't supervillians!" Scud yelled.

"Just get me there," Lucy said. "With that many girls in the room, who's going to even notice one more?"

Scud sighed. He was just glad that he'd filled up with gas earlier in the day. Somehow he just knew that he would need to keep the motor running.

Amy was lead nervously to the backstage of the hall where Miss Petrie and Madeline awaited her. The spy took a deep breath before greeting her superior, who gave a fond smile at the girl.

"You look wonderful Alex," Miss Petrie complimented her.

"Amy," Madeline said promptly.

"Amy. I hope you've got your speech prepared."

Amy went white. "Speech?"

"I'm sure you'll be wonderful," Miss Petrie said. "Now, let me introduce you to the rest of the D.E.B.S, and then you'll walk across stage and accept this wonderful honour."

Amy nodded, and gave a weak smile.

"That's the spirit Ashley."

"Amy," Madeline said, but Miss Petrie had already started walking across the stage to the microphone.

Amy closed her eyes, pinching herself, wondering if she would ever wake up from the nightmare that this night had turned into. Why couldn't she have just graduated quietly with the rest of her squad, rather than being singled out like a lamb to the slaughter.

Amy barely even heard Miss Petrie's words of introduction, though she did hear her name being called. That in itself was surprising enough, though she realised that a large electronic banner at the back of the hall was blazoning it for all the room to see.

Amy crossed the stage and stepped in front of the microphone.

"Thank you all, for that very warm welcome," Amy said. She glanced out over the sea of faces, and saw her team. Janet was beaming proudly, Dominique was placid as ever, a cigarette between her lips, and Max seemed torn between pride and annoyance.

"I just want to say how much I've learned, not just from the Academy and its fine teachers, but from the wonderful women in my team. They taught me about loyalty, and about friendship. And even about family."

Amy looked again at Max, who seemed to have softened. The squad captain smiled at the Perfect Score and nodded, the first time in days that Max had even met Amy's eyes, let alone smiled at her.

"One of the very first things that my squad captain said, back when we were very young, very naive first years, was that D.E.B.S stick together. And when things were tough, and when missions went bad, we were still there for each other. That we could do anything as long as we were together. I still believe that it's the best lesson that any of us could learn."

A movement from the upstairs balcony caught Amy's eye, and the D.E.B of the Year couldn't help the smile that curved her lips into a wide grin. Max followed Amy's gaze and rolled her eyes. Janet looked to, and gulped nervously before smiling tentatively. Dominique wore a surprisingly soft smile. "Ah...l'amour."

"But what I've learned in the last week is that you can find trust, and honour and love in the strangest of places. That you don't have to be looking for it, but it will find you. And that when we're truly honest, and truly open, sometimes who we thought we were was the lie all along."

The gathered D.E.B.S and they're dates stirred, muttering and murmuring, wondering where Amy was going with her speech.

"I love my country, and I'm proud of this organisation. But if I've learnt one thing in the last few days, it's that there's someone that I love even more. Which is why today is my last day as a D.E.B. and my last day as a spy."

The murmuring became even louder, though Amy couldn't hear it. Her eyes were fixed on Lucy's as the lover of her life stared proudly at her.

"So the last piece of advice that I have to give you all tonight, is to follow your hearts. They may lead to insane places, but...they won't steer you wrong. Thank you."

Amy walked calmly away from the podium, leaving a very stunned crowd of D.E.B.S in her wake. Max turned to her teammates her eyes wide.

"Did that just happen?"

Dominique just smiled. "You can't decide matters of ze heart. It is madness to try."

Max sighed and shook her head. "Well...she said she'd wait. And I did say I didn't care how many master criminals she dated after that."

"You said fucked," Janet corrected.

Max rolled her eyes.

"What? You did!"

Dominique took the younger girl by the arm and lead her away from Max before the squad captain could pummel their naive friend into tiny pieces. But Max could only smile. Her team really were one of a kind.

Lucy was waiting out in the parking lot, her arms folded casually as she leant against her car. Amy came racing out, her eyes scanning the darkened area until they finally met Lucy's.

"Hey pretty girl...wanna ride?" Lucy called.

"My mom always told me to watch out for girls like you," Amy said with a smile.

"Californian parents are so progressive," Lucy grinned.

Amy chuckled and reached out to grab hold of the lapels of Lucy's jacket. Lucy pulled her closer, soaking in the scent, the feel, the very taste of Amy Bradshaw, enjoying the beautiful girl's presence as they stood together.

"Why'd you quit?" Lucy asked softly. "Why'd you choose me?"

Amy kissed her softly. "Because I feel more like me when I'm with you, than I do...when I'm with me."

Lucy blinked away tears and hugged Amy as tightly as she could.

"I still can't be a criminal," Amy warned.

Lucy laughed. "Baby, there are plenty of ways that I can be bad."

"Show me?"

"You can count on it."

The End

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