It was the middle of the night. Zero Three hundred and she was off tomorrow today. She rubbed her eyes as the house phone rang. She was the one to pick it up. "Hello?" she was groggy. Grabbing the portable off the charger she heard someone speaking Russian on the other end. It was way to early to get her head around what they were saying. Something about Bryce and wanting her cooperation. Vanessa shoved Mark in the shoulder as she muted the phone so that she and Mark could not be heard but they could still hear the other party. Her face drained of all color as the man started spewing in Russian about coming to find her and kill her.

What had Mark done? This didn't have anything to do with work? "What aren't you telling me? Mark??" She was panicking. Vanessa was trained to use her pen as a weapon. The woman had no specialized skill in harming people. She drew things and fixed things. She felt sick as she laid down. Frozen as the phone just kept spewing off every detail of where she had been before moving to Tierney. Maybe the man didn't know where she was now. This number had been the same number as their old city. It made it easier for people to stay in contact. So much moving, so the number was a DC number.

Vanessa got up out of the bed letting the phone keep spewing she heard every word as she ambled towards the back porch. Though she stayed in the bedroom staring out the window. All her years of being on the sea had told her that something wasn't right. She glanced over at the baby monitor out of habit. Both of the monitors were silent, but she could hear them peacefully breathing. She starting frantically pacing through the house. Peeking first in on the children and then every other room downstairs. Rationality was gone.

Tag: Sp. Agt. Mark Wilson

Mark could hear the phone ringing, he wasn’t in the habit of giving up his sleep for electrical devices as he chose to ignore it. He would have ignored it a whole lot longer had he not heard Vanessa answer it, if it was a marketing call then he wasn’t going to be held responsible for tracking the person down and waking them at three in the morning. He simply buried his head into the pillow until he felt the shove in his shoulder. “What is it?” He asked though the minute he heard the Russian his mind flipped back to it easily.

Hearing that this guy was going to find Vanessa and kill her Mark shook his head, it was too early for this as he shook his head. He could see she was panicking but he knew exactly what it was about and landing all of that at three in the morning, great life just got a lot more complicated as he had a guilty look on his face. “It’s okay, nothing’s going to happen to you or the children. I...” He said having thought that it was over, the entire thing was done with and he didnt want any part of it but now his wife was being threatened.

Mark listened to what was being said, the detail was terrifying but he hadn’t a clue where to start. ‘Honey, I lied to protect you’ those words he didnt think he’d ever have to say to her. Was it a lie or just an omission of the entire truth but never once did he think it would come back like this. He could feel his hands shaking as he sat bolt upright listening to the spewed words on the phone. Mark fought the urge to gather the family and take them somewhere safe though he hadn’t a clue where to start or how to explain things.

When she started pacing through the house Mark got up from the bed, he pulled on a t shirt as he already had his pyjamas on. It took him a moment to follow her as it seemed rationality was gone, “Vanessa.” He said as firmly as he could before he took a breath trying not to lose it himself. His hands were still shaking as he could feel his mouth was dry and his face was turning pale. “Let me explain, it just wasn’t the right time there was a lot going on.” He began as he reached out for her. “Bryce had just arrived and I didnt want to worry you, I just took it on myself.” Mark knew now it had been a mistake but with a new baby in the house he didnt want to make things anymore stressful for Vanessa.

Tag: Chief Vanessa Wilson

Why had she even bothered to answer the phone? Just when you thought you knew someone and an entire phone call threw it all to hell. Whatever it was, it was probably nothing. At least she thought the two of them talked but the Russian threats had been enough to make her blood boil. Who had he upset, and why was she a target? None of it made sense. Though honestly the difference between three in the morning and some normal time of day. Maybe she should just have unplugged the land line then this wouldn't be such a catastrophe.

Vanessa paced, it helped to calm her down. At least that was the usual. Though she was terrified right now. Terrified for the kids, for Mark, for herself. Maybe not in any logical order. Biting her lip she wanted to get upset and tell him it was hardly okay. But what good would snapping at him do. They didn't really fight and fighting because she was scared? What did that accomplish? Absolutely nothing.

Tierney was a safe place. How much safer did you get with a military base practically in the backyard. Vanessa was pacing and she stopped short listening to him say he was going to explain? He knew what was going on? Oh the thought of that made her feel sick. She'd already half asked for him to explain so shunning him for explaining would hardly fix whatever this was. Vanessa was a reasonable woman most of the time but she was scared. Vanessa didn't usually do scared she was confident and playful.

Tears were already streaming down her face in fear. When he reached for her, it was clear something was bothering him. She'd learned to read people over the years. She'd known something was up then; but she had respected his right to not want to talk about it. Maybe she should have pushed for him to talk. "So it's a moot point until the threats turn on the family, is that it?" she tried to keep the hurt out of her voice. She wasn't being accusatory but they talked about everything. At least she thought they did.

They were raising their son and their niece. Two three year olds in the house was exhausting, but Vanessa hadn't even given it a second thought. She'd kept her mouth shut and not asked questions. That had been a mistake. That had been an awful and terrible mistake. No, she had to calm down. She just listened to Mark as he explained. Vanessa would do what she needed to in order to protect the family if it came down to that, but her military basic training had been years ago and now the best she could manage was pulling out a weapon in a worst case scenario. "This... whatever it is. I'm scared to death of it" she added trembling slightly.

Tag: Sp. Agt. Mark Wilson

Mark was used to her pacing to calm down, it was the only thing that was normal so far. It wasn’t that anything breaking the routine was bad but this time it was. He had lived with what his family had done for a long time, his entire life was dictated by that and in some part he guessed he wanted to believe he could escape it all. The military was breaking with the family business, it took him out of that world and he loved it. For years it was the escape from a life he didnt want or care for.

Now his escape into a new world, the past had finally caught up and Vanessa hadn’t signed on for that. Vanessa and the children were innocent in all of this and he had lied to them all, Vanessa from the very start but he hadn’t ever thought it would come to this. He was the same person he always had been, Mark Wilson the Navy Engineer and now NCIS Agent he was the same person just his name had been different. A name and a family that was responsible for terrifying his wife in the early hours of the morning.

It was hard to see her so scared, he was used to her confidence and playfulness which just made it harder to see her tears. She had every right to be scared, every right to be angry with him but he didnt want to lose his family not for this. He had walked away from his own for many years so he wasn’t about to lose the people he trusted. Mark listened to her talk, he could hear the hurt in her voice and yet he didnt know how to fix it. She was right, he kept it from her until he had to tell her which was now.

They talked about everything, he had shared more with Vanessa than anyone else in his life and now he had lied to her as well. “A moot point, no the point is that I didnt want to terrify you with a history of things I didnt know what to do with myself. Bryce was only a few days old Vanessa, then there was Nina too, to land all of that as well. What would you have me do, scare you when you just had our son? You needed sleep, rest and support not terror and information that even I didnt know what to do about.” He said trying not to argue with her about it.

Mark couldnt have asked anymore of her, she had accepted his niece into their family without a second thought and he didnt want to shake that any. Nina was his family as was Vanessa and Bryce and he wasn’t about to shake that any with family revelations. Mark reached out and touched her arm as he felt her trembling after she spoke. “Don’t be scared, I promise I’ll look after you, Bryce and Nina no matter what. No matter what I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.” He said knowing he’d do all he could to make that true, no matter what it took.

“I didnt want this to hurt you or scare you, I thought if I stayed quiet it would go away. You wouldnt have to know how things... you wouldnt have to know the skeletons in my family closet. I swear to you i’ll fix it I just need to explain what or how things are the way they are.” Mark said not entirely sure he would have a marriage after he had finished but then it was only fair Vanessa knew. Telling her everything wasn’t going to be easy and her walking away was a risk but they talked about everything. This was just talking about the one thing he didnt want her to know.

Tag: Chief Vanessa Wilson

Vanessa had the luxury of being a politician's daughter. Completely spoiled her whole life. Even Mark took to watching out for her. Always making sure she was happy. It meant so much to her. Vanessa had always been lucky that way; but she also knew that other's pasts weren't as golden as hers. Though she felt her stomach churning.

It wasn't that Vanessa didn't sign on for everything, she married him and she'd do exactly that. For better or for worse. Sometimes the consequences weren't always glitter and rainbows. Vanessa was shaking as she hugged close to him. Confidence was something she had in bucket loads, but she was also a woman who knew her limits. "Mark.. I.." She couldn't get the words past her tears. She wanted to apologize for picking up the phone. Then this wouldn't be happening.

Even as she expressed the hurt, she listened. Vanessa didn't write people off. Sometimes she let people walk all over her, right now she just wanted to fix this and go back to sleep. But it wasn't that simple was it? She could tell by the way Mark was struggling to spit it all out. Her hand came to the back of his neck as she massaged it softly. It gave her something to focus on. If she could just forget about the phone call.

Hearing Mark explain , she knew he was right. The days and weeks following their son's arrival, she'd gone through depression. The baby blues as she had called it. Then there was Nina added to the mix then there had been two newborns. No Mark was right, she had been in no state to deal with that then. "Fair point" she agreed nodding her head. Vanessa wasn't looking for a fight she just wasn't sure how to express herself right now. Maybe some would have felt betrayed by their spouse for news like this but she knew better.

Mark always looked out for her. She didn't expect that to change. "Promise me you won't do anything stupid" she didn't want to lose him. It was there in the back of her head most of the time when he went to work. But she didn't want him losing any amount of sense because he had just up and decided to solve things his own way. Her arms wrapped completely around his neck as she stared off at the wall. Her hand curling into a ball as he ran across the back of his neck lightly. Angry? she was angry, but not at him. She was angry because her family was in trouble and she had no clue what to do.

"If you think it's best I don't know... Then I trust you." She felt herself trying to catch her breathe in between her words. Usually when she was upset she calmed down much faster than she was. Right now it was a struggle with the fear. Something he couldn't change. "but if you want to talk.. I'll listen." She wasn't sure if he wanted to take the free pass she'd just given him to bury this all again. Right now that's all that Vanessa wanted to do was bury that phone call. She started mumbling something in Czech and just hugged him tighter. Why couldn't this just all go away?

Tag: Sp. Agt. Mark Wilson

Mark had a spoiled life though he wasn’t able to take to it. Maybe it was because he knew too much about why life was that way, maybe he knew all along that the word legitimate wasn’t to be attached to any work his father and mother did and worse still his sister had been dragged into it all too. The family had paid a price the first time moving from Russia to America and now his father was in jail, his mother was somewhere but he hadn’t a clue where, he had lost his sister and brother-in-law and now whoever they were doing business with was threatening his family.

No it wasn’t fair and it wasn’t the sort of thing he would do nothing about. Mark could feel her shaking as he hugged her, wishing that he could do more to make her feel better. “No, it’s okay. It’s all okay.” He said trying to hush her, not that he didnt want to let her speak but her tears broke his heart to know that this was his fault. The call was his fault for not explaining everything at the time he knew about it. He could have prevented the entire thing but no, his wife was in tears because of his choice.

As her hand came to rest on the back of his neck Mark tried to focus on her touch, to try and relax enough to explain things as he knew them but he couldnt get away from the fact it was his fault. He wasn’t in the habit of upsetting Vanessa or hurting her but one phone call and he wondered just what was going to happen in the next few seconds let alone hour or day. He had lied to her and that was bad enough but upsetting her like she was, he wasn’t sure what was worse.

Mark shook his head the minute she said ‘fair point’. “No it’s not, I should have told you. I’m sorry, so sorry I should have explained.” He said knowing that it hadn’t been easy but then keeping it to himself was one less thing to worry about for her, one less thing to deal with. He was trying to help the only way he knew how and now he wished she knew everything that had happened. Every detail because that way it wouldnt mean that he had lied or missed out things, it would mean that they were both on the same page without chapters missing.

The promise she was asking, he wasn’t sure if he could keep it as he would do anything for his family and if that meant stupid was a part of it then it had to be. Still he had worried her enough already without adding anything else to that. “I promise, nothing stupid. Don’t worry it’ll be fine.” He said trying to sound positive though when her arms wrapped around his neck completely he held her tightly. “I don’t want to lose you Vanessa, promise that we’ll be okay.” He asked knowing that he didnt want to lose her for anything.

She was the one person he had opened up to, his world and he didnt like it when that was shaken. Mark couldnt deny that he was relieved to hear her say those words, if he thought it was best but that wast he entire thing. He thought it was best years ago and now look at what he had done. Mark wanted to blurt everything out but he wasn’t sure how she would take it as he heard her trying to catch her breath between words. When she started mumbling something in Czech and she hugged him tighter Mark rested his head against her shoulder as he ran a hand slowly up and down her back.

“I’ll tell you everything Vanessa, I promise no more secrets.” He said as he held her tightly not wanting to let her go. “Why don’t you sit down and I’ll explain it all, do you want a drink, tea, coffee anything else?” He asked not sure why he had asked as he held her trying to calm her down and in turn himself.

Tag:Chief Vanessa Wilson

Vanessa usually took easily to Mark trying to hush her. This time was hardly a stretch. She took a few deep breathes and nodded. Her getting worked up like this couldn't be helping the situation any. Vanessa always tended to look at things logically before anything else. Her hand brushed over his lips. They were here and they were safe. Right now, it was all she could ask. There were a few more breathes as she clearly trying to settle down.

Vanessa wished that she could just make this all go away. She let her hand rest on the back of his hairline. Fingers grasping at little strands of the shorter strands. He was making this so difficult. She needed a way to shut him up. Okay fine so be it. If it stopped him apologizing she wasn't above stopping his rambling with kisses. Her eyes said shut up but his lips were distraction enough. And in an odd way calming. Both hands still behind his neck as she tried to sort things out. It was way too early for this.

Not entirely convinced he wouldn't do something stupid she nodded. Would it be okay? Was she really worrying over nothing. From the sounds of it, they weren't just after her but all four of them. What had been done that was so.. unforgivable. No, she knew Mark and her husband was an honorable person. She ready people well enough to know that whatever this was, it wasn't his fault.

Though as he said he didn't want to lose her she quirked a brow. "Mark, I made a promise. For better or for worse. Babe what is going on?" she searched his face for answers as her hands came up to his face. Mark seemed as spooked as she did. Who were these people? Too many questions not enough answers and she wasn't even sure she wanted the answers.

Rubbing her back had always been a way of calming her down. She was almost there to calming down as she just laid in his arms. There was no safer place in his arms with a military base practically in the backyard and the police department around the corner right? "Whatever this is, I'm right here." She trusted him and she was going to stand by him. So help her if she held things against him, she'd be a bitter person. Vanessa was fun loving and rambunctious. It wasn't by being angry or bitter at people.

That wasn't to say that it didn't hurt, but she understood. He was right, she had been in no state then to handle things. Then she could forgive him for not bringing it up if he thought things had died down in the last few years. Sometimes she realy hated when he did the whole getting her to sit down thing. As if she wasn't capable of doing things herself. Then again he was just looking out for her. "Did you remember latte mix at the store?" Honestly, she'd forgotten it when she had gone to the store so naturally it was 'honey I forgot this can I get a favor' type phone call before he came home the night before. But she had been in bed by the time he came home passed out over her work and didn't even think about the latte. Now he was mentioning coffee now she wanted a latte.

Though really she had wanted to ask for a glass of wine, but wine when they needed to talk about things was never a good idea. One glass of wine and she might as well be calling it a night. But when Vanessa was stressed she would have a glass of wine to take the edge off. No latte was better than wine right now. This was important. Vanessa was twisting the salt shaker around in her hand. Picking it up she got up and put it back in the cupboard next to it's partner. Turning towards Mark she put her chin on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his chest.

Tag: Sp. Agt. Mark Wilson

Mark wanted them to be safe forever, safe from what his family had done and he thought they were. In the days after the murders Mark had waited, waited for any sign that things weren’t as they were supposed to be. It never came, no call or message or threat it was simply quiet and after the first few months he dared to believe that it would all be okay. When her hand brushed over his lips he was reminded that she was right there, safe in the house with the children. He watched as she tried to settle down though with what had happened it wasn’t exactly calm he could ask for a lot of.

Kissing her he could have been anywhere with her, there wasn’t a problem if she was kissing him as he mind wondered from what they had been talking about to other things. Her hands on the back of his neck as he was quiet content to just kiss her and imagine that everything was the same as it had been yesterday. Where their normal was perfect in his mind, there wasn’t a threat or a problem they were just content to be happy and that was something he wanted to get back to.

Mark tried to smile about the promise that was made, for better or worse well this part of things was definitely worse. He just wasn’t sure that the worse would stop there before the better came. The question, he knew how to answer, how to explain it and yet he didnt know how to put into words that things hadn’t changed. He had lied and not told her everything but he was the exact same person. Just as she had given him the option not to explain Mark thought it was only fair to return the option to her.

“Once I explain, any choice you make I’ll stand by no matter what it is. It’s up to you what you want to do.” He said not wanting to put any idea in her head about it but then if she wanted to leave or get away from him. He couldnt exactly argue the points on why not to do that, he had lied, kept things from her. Mark didnt know where to start explain as he felt her hands on his face, years of keeping it from her and he felt awful for it though there wasn’t the option to act like it hadn’t happened anymore.

She was right there, she hadn’t ran or headed for the hills yet though he knew it was still an option for her. The fun loving rambunctious Vanessa was who he loved and he wanted her to be that way no matter what, he just didnt want to be the one to push that away. To cause her anymore stress or worry than there already might have been. Mark chuckled when she asked about the latte mix, “Sure I remembered, cant have my wonderful wife going without latte mix.” He said trying to lighten things but even by his standards the attempt at humour was pretty awful. He remembered the phone call and had passed the store before he had gone back for it.

By the time he got home the mix was in the cupboard and he had headed straight for bed. He flicked the switch for the kettle as he reached for the mix from the cupboard before Vanessa put the salt shaker back. Feeling her child on his shoulder and her arms around his chest he held onto her as he began to explain. “Mark Wilson is a name I adopted when my family moved to America thanks to the CIA.” He stated deciding the very beginning might make the rest a little easier to understand. “I used to be Markov Gusev from Ostrov Russia.”

Mark explained everything about his family in Russia that he had learned, from the old money; the law firm the shady mob clients to the government clients. The fact his parents had no morals when it came to represent anyone, when things became complicated and they risked their lives they swapped information with the American authorities for a fresh start in the great USA. “The rest I told you about Vanessa, Princeton, my family everything after that is true. The Navy was the second best thing to have happened to me and you the first.” He said as he bowed his head a little not wanting her to see how hurt he was for lying to her.

“My father who’s in jail and Mara had been taking bribes from people, working cases for the sorts of people that hang on the back wall at work. They were doing the same thing that moved our family from Russia.” He explained having not had any idea about it because he wasn’t there, a lawyer he wasn’t but he understood the basics of the legal system working as an agent and also coming from a family of lawyers. “Mara and her husband were killed professionally and the list of suspects, it’s a long one. They were killed because of what they did and I wont let this hurt you or the kids I promise you.” He said having tried to explain everything to her the best way he knew and now there were no more secrets on his side.

No more skeletons to uncover unless his family’s business managed to rear anything else he didnt know about. “Remember when I told you I hated lawyers.” He asked her, “This is why, it’s not just a family disagreement or that people think i’ve daddy issues its simple. My parents and sister have done some awful things and paid the price for them. I didnt want you to know or worry because...” There were the thousand reasons for that, he was ashamed, embarrassed, didnt want her to lose sleep over it, too much to take on and the list went on. Mark simply stopped talking as he listened to hear if she had anything to say or scream at him or if that day was going to be the last normal day he had in his life.

Tag: Chief Vanessa Wilson

Vanessa felt like... not being told was worth whatever piece of mind she'd had over the years. They both knew that things were going to turn into chaos after the phone call. It wasn't just some prank call. That would have been simple. Too easy for this time of the morning, that was for sure. Vanessa rubbed her eyes and yawned. No work today meant that she didn't have to call in at zero six hundred. It meant she could take a nap when she hit her brick wall on the day. She knew the kids would be up in a few hours though. That meant no rest until they took their naps.

Maybe Vanessa could put to rest some of his demons. Even if it was as simple as letting him know that she wasn't going to walk away because of some family feud. Families stuck together when things got tough. If he thought differently, then he had one skewed up version of what had happened. Vanessa just let her eyes land on his gaze. Eyes spoke more than was verbally resonated from either of their lips.

When Mark gave her the option of walking away she shook her head no. Why was he doing this? "I'm not going anywhere" it was defiant in nature. She was wrapped around his finger, but she also had a very vibrant and confident personality. Even though she was afraid she wasn't afraid to fight for what mattered to her. What part of that had he missed?

Vanessa listened to his back humour and smiled. It was the little things sometimes. Most husband's would have groaned and complained about being asked AFTER they had passed the store. Around here passing the store meant you were passed the store. There wasn't going to be another one 3 miles down the road. If only things were as simple as a phone call for latte mix right now. No they were far from that.

Vanessa understood the whole lawyer thing. Her dad was a politician. A senator for crying out loud, and people had name changes all the time. It didn't change the person he was. "Mark I want you to listen to me and I want you to listen to me very carefully" she stated. Her voice was that firm voice she got when one of the kids was instructed to pay attention. When she had something to say and they were doing everything BUT paying attention. Mark was not the children but...she wanted to put this to rest and she wanted to do this the right way. She was going to make her point come hell or high water.

"I grew up in the political world Mark, my dad's a senator but you don't see me sitting here dishing out candy for the Democratic party. I am my own person. My point is Mark you are not them. Just because you had a name change? You don't think my dad lied to protect me when I was little? All the lies I had to hear from the media and dad would tell me it was just a bad dream?" She narrowed her eyes some. "Your past does not define you." She stated firmly.

Vanessa just hugged him closer. "Yeah I'm scared but that doesn't mean I am leaving your side" she whispered. What was she supposed to tell him? That before he was a senator her dad was a public defender? That would hardly help matters. "You are not them. You are not them. Mark, Repeat that back to me." She wanted to break down. A professional hit, that hardly helped to settle the nerves but she wanted him to understand that he was nor responsible for it. If she had to sit here and argue with him all night until the cows came home and then so be it.

She heard him not finish the sentence. "Don't fill in that blank sweetheart because you would drive yourself crazy trying to think of a reason." She didn't want to let him go. Vanessa sighed for a moment. "Not your circus Mark. They aren't your monkeys they are just sitting in your banana tree but you have been chasing them. Stop it." She could understand the fear but blaming himself? Where did he get off?

The only thing she was mad about was him taking the blame for something well out of his control. "Listen to me. I won't lie to you. I am scared. I am sitting here in the kitchen at three fifteen in the morning because of some stupid phone call and threats to OUR family." Oh yes she was going to emphasis that part. They were in this together. "This is not something you go off rogue and try to play hero. Whatever comes our way, we will handle it." her words were dead onto the truth. The two were much stronger together than they were apart. People like that counted on someone spooking, so they could make them easier targets.

Tag: Sp. Agt. Mark Wilson

Mark was thankful that was least Vanessa didnt have work the next day, lack of sleep and being scared didnt exactly make for a productive work day. Gazing at her Mark knew in an instant he was paranoid to think that she would leave because of it, his family was messed up and he knew it. It didnt need to force its way onto Vanessa too which now given everything he wished that he had just walked away and never looked back a long time ago. Would it have been tough yes, might it have turned out different, maybe but he knew what he had to do now.

“Good because I cant imagine a life without you in it.” He said knowing that to be true, five years of marriage and he hadn’t an idea what he would have done without her. She was his world along with the children, the one person who stood by him no matter what and eve now when he had lied she was still telling him that she wasn’t going anywhere. It was as simple as getting something from the store, he didnt mind he trip and if it made Vanessa happy he would have driven for hours to find what it was she was after.

Mark wanted to be the person he was, his past didnt change the fact that he was still the same but the more he thought about it the more he wasn’t sure. He stared at Vanessa when she stated for him to listen to her and listen carefully, he knew that firm voice from when she was talking to the kids. It was slight odd to have it used on him but then he was listening so it had worked. The one thing he did know about his wife was if she wanted to make a point then she would do no matter what was going on.

“No and I don’t want it to. I want you to know that I’m still me, I didnt take part in any of it and I just want you to know that.” He said knowing that it was a lot to understand all at once but she had a point, her father had lied to protect her just as he had though he was glad his information hadn’t made it to the papers. Some parts did but only what the police realised or the parts they could do. Past does not define you, those words were what he was clinging to the only thing he could think of because if it did he was an awful person.

“I dont want you to be scared Nessa, I promised to look after our family. You and the kids. I’m glad you’re not leaving though. You’ve no idea how glad I am of that.” He said relieved to know that she wasn’t about to head to the door. When she wanted him to repeat what she had said he paused for a moment, he wasn’t them but what did have to do to get away from that. “That.” He said repeating exactly what she had asked him to, so yes he was trying to be a smart ass though he knew what she meant. “You are no them, I’m not them.” He said though he still blamed himself for not seeing it sooner.

“I’ve got lots of reasons just, I’ve never lied to you before and the reasons seem stupid now.” He said hugging her tightly, though the minute she mentioned monkeys, banana trees and chasing things he couldnt stop himself from laughing. He loved how she had a way of making him laugh when the thought the world was ending. “Well you can be in my banana tree anytime, might even share the banana’s with you too.” He said trying to lighten things but as before his attempts were somewhere between awful and he needed to be arrested for it.

“Our family, yes it is and I’ll fix it I promise you so you dont have to be scared ever again.” He said though the minute she mentioned going rogue and trying to play hero, well hero didnt come into it but rogue had his plans scuppered in minutes. Mark took a breath as he leaned into her and kissed her cheek. “You make lots of sense.” He said as he tried to smile, “We will handle it and I promise you’ll all be okay. Besides we’ve handled two three year olds reasonably well. Together we can take over the world.” He said with a bigger grin as he tried to distract her from it all. Professional or not Mark knew his job and after all Vanessa was right, together they could handle it, apart he was just asking for trouble.

Tag: Chief Vanessa Wilson

Vanessa was stubborn and Mark should know by now that she was headstrong. The woman would use it to his advantage and her own when she could. Clearly he was still figuring that out half a decade later. Though if he had her all figured out by now what adventure would there be in their lives? Then again she already knew the answer. Their three years olds spiced things up really fast. Vanessa laced her fingers with his.

There came a point in time when she needed to just relax. When he needed to relax. That was not right now apparently but she tried. If he said he had it under control she believed him. Vanessa usually took him at his word. Though she hated lies, he hadn't exactly lied. He just hadn't told her everything. That was different than a flat out lie.

Mark was right, if Vanessa wanted to make a point then it would get made regardless of what the situation was. Very rarely did she get firm with Mark. The two were more easy going and relaxed when they spoke, but sometimes a firm word was needed in the situation. Right now she was clearly the voice of reason. This was all kinds of messed up and backwards. Then again that is what Mark and Vanessa did best, mess up what was already FUBAR in the first place.

Putting a hand to his lips as he started talking circles she pierced her eyes into his. "I believe you. Take it for what it is. I'm here I am not going anywhere" she had said it probably a quarter of a dozen times by now but she wouldn't be going anywhere. If only she could make it all go away. As she tucked him under her chin she leaned into the crevice of his neck. "I'm proud of who you are." She whispered softly. His past was not who he was, a family didn't define a person either. Mark was proof of that. If she had to be stubborn on it so help her, she would.

Vanessa knew that he didn't want her to be scared; but she'd just been threatened. Though she smiled he said he was going to look after them. "You always have and don't you dare doubt that for a second" She whispered quietly. Then he started being a smart ass, so she picked her head up and rammed him in the back lightly with her. Much like a battering ram to his spine, though not hard enough to hurt either of them. "Smart ass" she grumbled before pulling him close again. "Pink submarines" she whispered back in retaliation. "For that you get to help me paint my latest prototype pink." Vanessa had NO clue what it was with him and pink submarines but she knew it had an effect on him.

"Yes well you better get a bigger banana tree because I have two tag alongs" she added with a smirk on her face. Vanessa completely skipped over the lying part. He hadn't lied but she knew it wasn't an argument that she was capable of winning, nor did she want to encourage half truths. Though she didn't want him upset with himself lying and she was still trying to figure out what to say. Finally she figured out what she wanted to say. "You do what you have to do to watch out for us Mark." It if meant omitting truths so she could get well and not end up in the hospital, then it was worth a three am wake up call.

"What do you want to do today Pinky?" she teased as she started humming the theme song from pinky and the brain. Yes now she was just trying to be a twit and make him laugh. Her head was hidden in the back of his shoulder. He always had this way of making her feel better and she was no longer thinking about the phone call. Now she was trying to figure out how to drive Mark crazy. Not that it was hard to make him laugh, but she would figure it out. It was something that came easy to her.

Tag: Sp. Agt. Mark Wilson

The fun thing about Vanessa was that there wasn’t ever a dull day, she could keep him guessing and despite the amount of time they had been together every day felt like the first day. He knew that people said that the shine wore off and it was work which sure any marriage was work but with Vanessa if felt less like having to work at it than it was just fun. Fun that surprised him every day with things he either didnt expect or a new side to things and a decade later there wasn’t anyone he would rather have spent his time with than her.

When they talked it was usually chilled out, they worked with what they had and they got through things together, there wasn’t a time when he had dreaded to come home because they needed to talk. This however this was a time when he hadn’t a clue what was going to happen or what Vanessa would do or say. He was just happy she was still there and hadn’t decided that he was a useless liar, he wasn’t sure if it was because he had sat on it so long but the guilt that came with it felt like a an unsure weight had been lifted.

Mark quit talking the minute she put a hand to his lips and her eyes pierced his. “Good, because I dont want you to go anywhere.” He stated feeling a little better than she wasn’t about to bolt out of the door. He had given her enough options to do that though she hadn’t even taken one as far as he could see. Mark smiled when she said she was proud, that made one person he thought but that one person was the person’s who’s opinion mattered most to him. “I’m proud of who you are too. Couldnt have met a better person in life.” He said honestly. Mark knew she was going to be stubborn but then he wouldnt have expected anything less.

“I’m not doubting, I’m just saying that I still will no matter what.” He said knowing he would do anything for his family, that was where the fact of not doing anything stupid was a little broad. There were plenty of stupid things he could do and if it meant that they were safe he’d take every risk he could do. “Ouch, mortally wounded.” He cried quietly when she used her head like a battering ran to his spine. Mark blushed a little when she mentioned the pink submarines, yeah that mission was to stay top secret because if his wife found out. No he didnt want to think of how she might take it or what she would tease him about.

“Well it’s your prototype but if pink works then it works.” He said grinning trying to hide the colour of his face which was unsuccessful. He sometimes wondered just how much she knew about what had happened on that mission but then telling her, yeah he still couldnt get his own head around it. “Two tag alongs, I’m not sure they can be invited might be an adult only banana tree but since it’s you. The tag alongs are allowed.” He said as if there was ever going to be any bargaining with that. “I wont do that again.” He said knowing he’d not tell her another lie if he could help it.

At the point when it happened he knew that it wasn’t the best thing to add onto everything for her. Then again now wasn’t exactly the best time either. When she ask what he wanted to do today he laughed as he shook his head hearing her humming the theme song from Pinky and the Brain. Her being a twit was making him laugh. “Well Brain, I could always give you a piggy back, back to bed for starters?” He teased, “Or we could play twister?” They were a few random suggested but it was anything to keep her mind off the phone call.

“Better than all of that...” he said as he smirked before he turned around to face her, “I could always serenade you all day with my singing?” It didnt take much for him to start doing that, even singing to the children though he wasn’t the one to hold a tune. It was more like one of those singing contests where he though he sounded like Robbie Williams but he was more like Robin Williams. “I believe in miracles, Where you from, You sexy thing!” He sang having not been able to listen to or sing Barry White since that case though his singing was just as bad as usual as he even threw in some jerky dance moves as he placed his arms around her. The musical or even dance arts wasn’t something he was good at or remotely close.

Tag:Chief Vanessa Wilson

Vanessa really was lost for words. He doubted her, and deep down that stung. Though she far from let that bother her. He was worried and trying to project. Something she understood. He really needed to learn when to shut up. She kissed him to keep him quiet. Maybe it would be distraction enough. Though she could get distracted herself and right now she needed to focus. Except Mark. Yeah he was easy to focus on. There was a smirk on her face. Well now that they had buried that part maybe?

The words mortally wounded and she was tickling him. "Pinnochio" she teased lightly. Oh he was full of it and she knew it. She saw the color to his face. "It will match that blush on your cheek" she announced plain as day. "Rose Pink submarine" she announced as she put her hands to the side of his face anything to keep his mind off other things. She knew part of the story about the pink submarine, but that was only because she helped the guys hide something inside.

"Piggy backs and twister. Sounds like my kind of fun" she reminded him. She was all for twister but she was also all for going back to bed. Not that she would sleep. She couldn't help but laugh with him. Though she continued with the theme song knowing it was getting under his skin just a little bit. Vanessa didn't care about the consequences of that. Getting under her husband's skin was fun to her.

His singing drove her up the wall. This had to be payback for the pinky and the brain didn't it. "No Mark. Just no" she wasn't afraid to pull out anything more annoying. Soon Vanessa had him up against the wall. "I will end you in twister" she teased. They both knew that she had really good balance; but he had a height advantage when it came to reach.

Though she was wrapped around him as she looked at the clock. She also listened to the monitors in the kids rooms. Vanessa always did in the middle of the night. She was that worried parent that had a freak out every time she heard one of the toddlers fake cry or trip over their own feet. She'd always been like that. Not so much overprotective as over worried; she had a fair share of a protective streak.

Tag: Sp. Agt. Mark Wilson

Mark had never learned when to stop talking, for an adult there were a few things missing along the way though he was too worried to let that bother him. His family was everything to him and no one got to threaten that at all. He had lost his sister to this and he wasn’t about to let that affect Vanessa and the children. Her kisses were distraction enough though the smirk on her face seemed to chase away any of the resounding worry he had. Everyone thought their wife had the prettiest smile but for him no one had anything on Vanessa.

He squirmed under her touch when she started to tickle him trying to be quiet so he didnt wake the house. “Is so not.” He said as he reached out to tickle her too though when she said it would match the blush on his cheeks he rolled his eyes. “Rose pink it is then, besides it’s a good colour for a submarine, no one would expect it.” He teased with a grin feeling her hands at the side of his face. He ran his fingers lightly through her hair happy that she was there and could always find a way of distracting him no matter what.

Piggy backs and twister and they were how old? Mark didnt care though when she continued with the theme song he did the only thing he could think of to keep her quiet as she kissed her. Her neck, her cheek, her lips, it didnt matter just as long as she stopped with the theme song. How he was ever going to explain why he had the reaction to pink, he was still in two minds though letting her believe that it was just about hiding something on a sub, that was fine by him.

Hearing her no, he just sang a little more, so Hot Chocolate might have had to replace Barry White for a while but then once he got over that it was open season on singing anything. When he was up against the wall he just chuckled, “Oh really honey?” He teased though he knew she had great balance which would probably mean he was going to lose but he had height so what worked for one he thought with a grin. “Not if I end you first.” He teased not caring what time in the morning it was.

Watching her look at the clock and listen to the monitors he smiled, he knew she worried and what happened when one of them cried or tripped over. He was used to it and loved that about her. “They’re okay.” He said softly to her as he ran his fingers over her cheek. Mark kept one arm around her as he still couldnt believe all these years later that they were actually married.

Tag:Chief Vanessa Wilson

Vanessa's vivaciousness led her to have a very rambunctious smile. She was full of life and happy. She'd always lived in a protected world where she was cared for and her fun personality had been nurtured. His retaliation to being called Pinocchio did him no favors. She was still tickling him but she was was also kissing him. Two birds one stone.

Technically their prototypes were NOT allowed to be standard colors, because they were just that. Prototypes. So she got to get creative with the outsides of them. Though not too overboard, she still liked to keep with solid colors. It wasn't like anyone was going to be painting pictures on the side of a submarine to tell the enemy where they were. Once his hands were playing with her hair she was all smiles.

Age was merely a number and twister didn't have an age limit. How could it ever get old when you were teasing the one you loved and having fun with it. Vanessa muffled the theme song occasionally in between his kisses. Especially when he kissed her lips she started singing it more, yes she was being a right twit but she didn't care. Though eventually she did go silent and just enjoy his affection all over.

"End up what Mark? Landing on the bottom of a pile full of Vanessa?" She teased. That was the best thing about falling in twister, being tangling up with someone who actually enjoyed it. She let him up from the wall but wrapped arms around him. Standing on her tiptoes she went to reach for twister but she needed to be a bit taller. It was up high for a reason. All the board games were where the children could not reach them. Last thing she needed was them swallowing parts.

Vanessa was brought out of her thoughts by his hand on her cheek and his voice. There was a smile that replaced her curiosity of the baby monitors. Vanessa unconditionally loved and trusted Mark. If he said something was okay then she believed him. That was just how she was, that also made her slightly gullible at times. She gave up her futile attempts at reaching twister and settled for being in his arms.

Tag: Sp. Agt. Mark Wilson