It was a dark and stormy night that found Napoleon Solo lying in bed enveloped in warmth smiling as his mind replayed the memories of that evening. It all started a few hours earlier, New Years Eve 1969.
Earlier in the day he convinced Illya to wrap up their work early so he could sneak out for a date. He had no set plans with her; he never made plans when he was working on a case. Instead he decided to surprise her with a night out. Though it was the busiest night of the year he knew of a few places he could call for a last minute reservation.
Blackmail was a useful tool for a spy but he didn't need any of that. In his many years of living and working in New York he established relationships with the owners of several of the city's hotels and restaurants. He shook his head it seemed ever since Thanksgiving they had been busy. There was an influx of activity by THRUSH and others. Every day it was something else, some one else.
Earlier that day he and Illya were neck deep in the middle of a case. Napoleon was busy keeping Angelique occupied while Illya worked on shutting the operation down. The pair had consumed half a bottle of bubbly when the sirens bellowed. Angelique threw a lamp at Napoleon to slow him down. Napoleon stumbled and cut his hand on the busted lamp. She was off and running with Napoleon hot on her heels. Not wanting to drag this mission out any longer Napoleon fired at the fleeing THRUSH agent.
THRUSH hired muscle returned fire, holding Napoleon at bay while Angelique escaped. Illya was quickly by his partner's side. "Nice of you to join me," Napoleon said.
"I thought I'd wait until you called for help," Illya replied as he returned fire.
Illya tapped Napoleon on the arm, "Come on let's go, this place will explode soon," he said. Napoleon not one to stick around any longer than needed when a bomb was set, nodded and followed Illya out the building.
The THRUSH goons were hot on their heels still firing. The U.N.C.L.E. agents dove behind their car as the building went up on a ball of fire. The THRUSH men dove to the ground when the explosion hit.
Illya noticed Napoleon's bloody hand. "You're not going to use that to get sympathy from her tonight are you," he said nodding towards the hand.
Napoleon gave Illya a mock annoyed look. "I'd never do anything like that," Napoleon retorted.
Illya shook his head not believing his partner. When the clean up crew arrived Napoleon and Illya went back to HQ to fill out their reports.
Before leaving the office Napoleon called a quant little restaurant that she loved close to home, to set a dinner reservation. Once that was taken care of he left for his date.
She was there before he got there. "How was work," she asked.
"Long and loud," he said. "All I want to do is spend the night with you."
"Well that can be arranged," she said as she gave him a hug.
He returned her hug, "I made dinner reservations at that place you love."
She smiled, "And what did you have in mind for after dinner," she asked.
"I thought we could come back here for maybe a little dancing." He placed his hand in hers and led her in a slow dance.
"What happened to your hand," she asked when she saw the bandage.
"Its nothing, I cut it at work this afternoon," he said as they swayed to some tune that only Napoleon could hear. "As I was saying.."
"Why don't you go take a shower while I change so that we can make that reservation and not miss it," she said cutting him off. "Now come on," she said taking his hand and leading him up to the master suite. "You go take your shower so I can change."
On the way to the restaurant Napoleon stopped at the florist. On his way back to the car he spotted a black limousine parked next door. He paused momentarily to watch a girl carrying a bag of clothes pins step inside followed by her mother. Noticing a purple glove on the ground Napoleon scooped it up and handed it to the mother before the driver closed the door.
The storm began just as the couple returned home. Napoleon lit a fire as she turned on the radio. When he was done he walked up behind her wrapping his arms around her waist. She leaned into him and he began to sway to the music. She turned in his embrace and they danced by the fireplace.
As midnight quickly approached Napoleon led her up to the master suite leaving a trail of clothes in their wake. They rang in the New Year entangled in each other's arms under the covers. When their love making ended she curled up next to him adding her warmth to his. He wrapped his arms around her and they lie enjoying the silence and each other's company.
She snuggled closer as she drifted off to sleep. Napoleon lay awake for a while after she fell asleep thinking back on the day before finally falling asleep himself.
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