I see families vacationing together in every country the IWS sends me. Every mission which could easily be my last, there’s always a couple not too far away blissfully unaware of the hidden perils happening right under their noses. Sometimes I think about being that couple.  

  I should use the sentimental crap with Noor. I bet he’d eat this up. I’ve been watching him for months now observing his most visited destinations, mannerisms, and previous missions. For someone so known in the spy world as “mercy” for his alleged lack of he sure does visit a lot of flower shops. 

  The doors to the bar are grand lined with a shining gold on green. I grab both golden handles and pull open the doors and the roaring chit-chat coming from every corner dies down the moment I step in. 

  Now a good spy knows to draw as little attention to themselves as possible. This is why I am the best spy. Noor is going to know all the niche tricks of what spies get away with so, do the exact opposite, and hopefully that works. I already know that Adam has hacked into the cameras and he's watching right now. I'm making my way to the bar and out of the corner of my eye I see at least a 50-year-old man walking up to me. 

  “I've never seen you around here sweetheart.” He says to me in such a heavy accent I have to keep myself from laughing. I asked the bartender for a shot. This is me bracing myself. 

  “I’m new to town actually” I laugh nervously. I try signaling to the cameras for Adam to notice and give me an excuse to get outta here. My earpiece is disguised as an earring. I know, genius. But clearly, Adam can’t take a hint.

“Well why don’t you let me show you around then?” He says, reaching his arm around me and smirking.I tried to make violence a last resort but I'd only been here for a minute and this guy was already testing my patience. As I'm getting ready to sock this guy in his face, someone comes up behind me and grabs his hand before it touches my shoulders. 

  “Why don’t we keep it moving Giuseppe? Wouldn’t want that facelift to have been for nothing, huh? A voice behind me asks and I can hear the superiority pouring out. Noor. Giuseppe steps back with such an embarrassed smile I want to cringe. I bet Noor’s feeling great about himself right now like I don’t have a revolver stashed in my leg strap but sure, let me be the damsel he just saved. 

  “You alright mi-” Noor stops mid-sentence as I turn to face him. Oh wow. His picture does him no justice. Zoo Wee Mama. 

“I- yes thank you,” I say trying to hide the blush creeping up my cheeks. “My hero,” I say, letting out a shy laugh. Now it's Noor’s turn to hide his blushing cheeks. 

  “I'm sorry I wasn’t expecting uh, well,-” He stutters struggling to find the words I know he wants to say. What a gentleman. 

“What, you’re going to pretend you didn’t see me walk in here” I say with a smirk looking him right in the eyes.

  “You’re even more beautiful up close,” Noor says playing along. 

Noor’s POV

  Oh God, this is going to be harder than I thought. She is beautiful, her picture does her no justice. The Lise organization has been on the decline so they’re reaching for these ridiculous missions. Of course, they’re sending me after the Wraith. Giuseppe did his part easy and just like that he's getting paid but me? Yeah, love is not my strong suit. Looks are one thing but clicking is something entirely different. So far so good. 

  “Oh, so now we’re getting bold. I like it.” She says flashing a smile and I have to force myself to say words and not just stare at her. Suddenly, the lights go out and for a minute I'm thankful for the interruption before I embarrass myself. The realization hits the lights are off and Layla has already moved. 

 This wasn’t part of the plan. I pull out the revolver under my shirt. Outside, I can see helicopters flying and cops shouting, the white lights shining through the windows blinding. This has to be the IWS, had Layla caught on to me so quickly? I start looking for Layla and I spot her hiding behind a flipped-over table with a revolver in her hands. We make eye contact and she has a knowing expression on her face. She knows. Dang it. Wait but if this was the IWS why would she be hiding?

  A booming voice comes from outside yelling: “Noor Saif and Layla Shita. You are under arrest in violation of Monaco law. Come out peacefully or we will shoot. We have cleared the rest of the building.” Dang it. Layla and I look at each other and I can tell the calculating expression on her face is mirrored. 

  Just then red lasers start beaming through the windows and they’re looking for their targets. Us. I fall flat on my stomach and crawl to Layla who when she sees me coming turns her revolver to my head. 

  “What the heck are you doing!? Are you trying to make us a one-shot target?” She whispers. I can tell this wasn’t going according to her plan either.

  “ I scoped the place out hours ago. There's an exit through the bar. Come on.” I say try to guide her as fast as possible.

  “There’s no way I'm following you out of here.” She says but doesn’t sound entirely sure of herself. This wasn’t the girl I was talking to at the bar nor the wraith who I had been studying for months calm, cool, and collected. She seemed.. Scared? Then the booming voice from before says again: “We have given you a warning, now you will be the first to test our new shock grenades.

  “ Yeah, on second thought lead the way,” Layla says already moving. We make it through the back exit when we hear the soldiers bust through the bar doors. Before I can book it out of there Layla grabs me and throws us down the beach. Milliseconds later the soldiers come crashing through the back. We’re on the ground on top of each other hiding behind a cabana. Our faces are inches apart neither one of us breathing until we hear them all clear. She climbs off of me and helps me up her cheeks slightly flushed. 

 “Now I don’t owe you.” She says about to walk away.

  “Wait!” I call out and she turns slightly hands reaching for what I'm guessing is her leg strap. 

  “ The whole of Monaco will have displayed our faces and be looking for us. I think we should stick together?” I say trying to keep the confident display up. 

  “This is the infamous ‘Mercy’ huh? Suggesting a truce? Not what I was expecting.” Layla says curiosity in her voice.

  “You’re one to talk ‘Wraith’. If not for me you would have been on the floor in that bar hands behind your head and cuffed.” I remark and even I hear the defensiveness in my voice. 

  “Oh please, I could have taken every one of them out and then you. A good spy doesn’t draw attention to themselves.” She attempts to retort confidently. 

  “That’s cute considering the show you put on in the bar,” I say with a dry laugh. 

  “You thought my show was cute?” She says brushing past me and keeping her eyes on mine “That’s good since it was just for you.” No way I'm letting her out of my sight. 

Layla’s POV

  What is going on there has to be a rat nearby who exposed our locations. Now I'm stuck with Noor who even after months of observing is not what I was expecting.

I lost all communication with Adam when the power went out. I make my way back up the beach to reach my cabana before the police realize just how close we are. I can hear Noor behind me following.

  “Where are we going? He asks suspiciously. 

  “You’re the one who said we should stick together,” I responded annoyed. The IWS is going to kill me. 

  We make it back to the cabana and it’s dark to the point you can’t see anything outside. 

  “ Turn around, I need to change,” I say when I see Noor observing everything in my cabana. 

  “Oh right,” He says, scrambling to turn. What a goof. This is the most wanted guy on the IWS registry? I could have taken him out minus all this hassle already.

  “Here’s the plan,” I say, putting the rest of my shirt on when Noor turns back around. “I’m going to pack all my things, we’re going to spend the night here, and first thing in the morning we’re out. We’re kinda stuck together now me and you. You can’t go back to Lise and I can’t go back to the IWS.” I say the realization of tonight finally hitting me. Noor and I only have each other now. 

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He mutters quietly going to sit on the bed. There’s only one bed. I can worry about that later. 

  “What?” I am confused by his sudden solemnity.

  “When you have known only one thing your whole life. Only known one group... your loyalty should never be questioned, even when you know it's wrong. Lise raised me. They took me in when I had no one. They gave me a family. They gave me a purpose and I have destroyed that in mere minutes.” Nour says, looking down. There’s always more than meets the eye.

  “ I know what you mean, the IWS took me in when I was 10. I grew up serving them. Without them, I would still be on the streets.” I say, remembering the little orphan girl, who had to fend for herself. she still does. 

“ You don’t have any family?” Noor asked me looking up.

“I’m my own family,” I say trying to uphold my nonchalant attitude. 

  “Me too” Noor confesses and I’m shocked at how similar we are. 

   “The 2 spies from the other side aren’t so different after all,” I say, trying to add humor to this suddenly depressing situation. 

  “We should get some sleep. I’ll take the floor.” Noor says, making his way over. The cabana is cold and he’ll get sick if he sleeps there. 

  “ No you’re my guest for the night I’ll take the floor,” I say with a slight smile. 

  “Absolutely not,” Noor says in the most serious voice I've heard all night.

  “Alright, then the bed it is,” I say, making my oven and adjusting the sheets. “ I'll just put a pillow in the middle to separate.”

  “Right, a pillow,” Noor says and he seems uncomfortable.

“Is everything okay?” I say worried.

  “I don’t have anything other than slacks and a dress shirt to sleep in. But, I think I'll live.” Noor says, accepting his fate.

  “Oh, right sorry” I began flustered. “ I have boxer shorts I think will fit you. Um, I didn’t bring any shirts though… 

  “Right, no shirts” Noor begins with a sly smile”. “You just happen to not have any shirts but conveniently only boxer shorts.” He teasingly laughs.

  “Oh, shut up and put it on,” I say, throwing the shorts in his face, turning away before he sees the unwelcome blush on my cheeks. The draining events of the day finally settled into my limbs and I'm ready for bed. Noor’s getting changed in the bathroom and I finish setting up the bed. A 2 pillow wall in between us. 

  As I get into bed Noor comes out in the shorts I gave him but seems to be missing a shirt. Zoo Wee Mama. Let me get myself to bed before I do something I regret. Noor is shifting his eyes towards me every few seconds and just then I realize I'm wearing a small pj set. Okay, so we're both thinking the same thing right now. Let’s just make it through the night. 

  “I really appreciate the clothes… and place to stay... And you basically saved me. I misjudged you.” Noor says, turning away from me on his side of the bed. “Goodnight Layla”

When was the last time anyone told me goodnight? His thanks make me like him even more.

  “Don’t mention it but next time I expect to be saved,” I say resigning to sleep. Pretending not to hear Noor mutter “I hope there is a next time.” The next morning we were asleep in each other's arms, the sun peeking through the window. It was the most peaceful sleep I had gotten in years. 

And that kid is how you’re father and I met.

“Wow, mom you're quite the storyteller,” my daughter says rolling her eyes. 

 “It's okay I believe you,” my son says “Now can I get candy?” He finishes. Noor laughs.

This is the life.