Martini and Salsa 1.5: Sent a spy to catch a break

She smiled a bit at that. "Thankfully for both of us that lesson didn't cost you anything more. I had honestly thought that was the last I was going to hear from any of you. I was trying to get back to my normal life, but nothing seemed to fit anymore. That Lena was dead, or so we thought, that had a lot to do with it of course, but not everything."

"I think if the Cardinal hadn't come after me I still would have had to do something different. My life before, I wasn't really living it, I was surviving it. I lost the spark to seek out what I wanted. I blamed my mom for a lot..." there was definite regret in Cynthia's voice. "I don't know. As horrible and messed up as the last few months of my life have been I have no regrets over any of that. I was actually trying to do something. I forgot how good that feels."

Cynthia then gave him a shy grin. "That was a bit more then what you asked for, wasn't it?"
 
He smiled "It was just the right amount. And the apartment was our fault too we should have known he'd come for you and put a tighter watch on you apartment but we just didn't have the manpower, theres a lot of recruits going to be trained over the next few months, including you. You're our future, its fitting that the techniques you will learn were mostly invented by your father.. when you've finished and no longer a junior agent I'll get you his file if you want."

he got up to answer to door for room service leaving Cynthia with her thoughts for a few seconds before returning and handing her her drink.
 
The afternoon passed on in a lazy pace. It was way that a vacation on a cruise should be. Dinner had been a lighter fare then breakfast or lunch and was spent watching the sun dip below the horizon. Cynthia felt that this made up for the more exciting morning and while there wasn't necessarily going to be the need to act up the cover of the newlywed couple for the owner of the cruise ship or anyone else, it was nice just to be Cynthia and Josh for a few hours.

As they talked, Cynthia noted that there was dancing every night on the ship. Though it wasn't as fancy as the first night. It was one of a few activities she pointed out. The only indication that it might have been her preferred activity was the reminder to Josh that she had only gotten one dance out of him the night prior. She knew that it was probable that if they went out dancing again that it would turn into another lesson, but that was a small price to pay.
 
"Another dance it is, or several, maybe lend you to other partners or request different styles see his versatile you are." he said. "Tonight will be just abut the dance unless I have a particularly fun idea.. or you have one." he said "Also did you know I've been without a gun since we arrived, its stayed in my suitcase." he smiled at her "And don't for a second think its because I think I could do without one, even Bruce Lee said if given the choice he'd take the gun."

He watched her reaction with interest and grinned at her, before point to remove the nose brace he had worn all day, he'd have to be careful but he'd prefer to be without it.
 
Cynthia grinned when he went with the idea of dancing, glad that he seemed to enjoy the idea himself. While she hadn't thought about it she realized he hadn't been armed. At that she grinned wider. She was quite pleased he was doing what he could to stay in a vacation mindset. "Smart man," though if she was talking about Bruce Lee or Josh himself she didn't elaborate.

Being a more casual dance didn't mean that Cynthia didn't take the time to freshen up. She found herself quite happy and had to actually pause for a moment as she put her earrings on in her room. She was happy. It wasn't that Cynthia had been exactly dower before now, but there was definitely a spring in her step, metaphorically, that she couldn't quite pinpoint the last time she had been like that. At least not for a sustainable period of time. Maybe it came with finding her place in life?

Cynthia wasn't sure that was the complete answer, but she wasn't going to over analyze it. Stepping out of her room she twirled once. "I'm ready when you are."
 
He had pulled off his casual clothes and was dressed much like the last time, only now there was a jacket folded over his arm, still he wasn't wearing it. It was in case it got colder in the night, they were after all going to be out longer this time. "Seems like you're ready right now so I am too by your logic." he teased and offered his arm.

"There would be those who'd say I paraded you around the ship the entire cruise." he said "And maybe I am, its not everyday a veteran gets a partner he can be happy with as one."
 
Cynthia took his arm with a small laugh at his jest. As they headed out of the room she tilted her head and looked at him. "Well I certainly haven't a reason to complain," she told him. In fact she was getting used to the little play of constantly being on his arm. If they were not acting they would have been walking like normal people. It was almost too bad it was all for the image they were portraying. At least the arm holding. Not much else was on Cynthia's end.

As they walked down the hall the pictures they'd passed before, which Josh had enjoyed quizzing her on the last time they had gone by she talked about this time. Some were quite tacky, but a few she was a bit impressed it. Not that any she would choose for her own living space. "I do miss that you know. Having my own apartment."
 
"Once this holiday is over you'll get a room you can personalize." he said "Privacy is rare but each person get their ration of it." he said in a work-like tone then he sighed. "I miss it too." he stopped at of of the rails. He was obviously either perceptive or able to tell roughly what she was feeling. "Its ok to enjoy it you know, the things you do for your covers, so long as you can stop when you need to.

He continued on "You know since we've already eaten I was thinking we could go in when the dancing starts and just talk out here for a bit."
 
A personal space, that was at least a fiction of her own would be better then where she had been staying the last month. It was too stark and sterile for her liking and only knowing it was temporary had kept her from being really uncomfortable by it. She had kept busy in that time too, though she hoped that her days would not be quite so busy between work and her own 'extra-curricular' activities.

How Josh guessed to what she had been thinking about she left to the mystery of a well trained spy, but she was encouraged by his words. Of course his last point was important. You had to be able to drop the cover when necessary. Able and willing. She wondered if that was what went wrong with some agents.

"That sounds nice," Cynthia said to him while she of course stayed on his arm. "I admit, I don't know what I was expecting on this vacation, but I don't think I would have thought things would work out as they have. It's been very different, but I think I'm enjoying myself. Though I think I would have preferred a slightly different outcome at the gym this morning."
 
"I don't see how it could have been better." he said "You're fast, resourceful and I know you can take on people above your weight and experience. With practice and experience you will be deadly, maybe even as deadly as me." he gave her a genuine smile and her hand a squeeze. "I only wish we could have recruited you properly, trained you before putting you in the field, but I suppose it doesn't matter now." he sighed "Still could have done with fewer bullets hitting me, but thats part of the game, and why we get payed so much."

He looked out over the water, something he was doing a lot on this cruise but then there was a lot of it around. "We learn, we get what he can out of our experience, then we relax in whatever way we can. How it goes sometimes."
 
"True, after this I'll get that training, and then, well, hopefully I don't feel like I'm racing just to understand what is going on as much anymore," she grinned at Josh, glad for his company as much as his experience. she then looked out at the water as well. "Relaxing is easier said then done, isn't it?"

They might have been out here so they could talk, but Cynthia felt like that was mostly an excuse. Sometimes it was just nice to be with someone else, just because. If that's why Josh came out here on deck with her, then she was very content to just look out at the water with him for the time being.
 
He nodded still staring out over the water. "It will come with experience, trust me on that." he slipped his arm out from hes and put it around her and sighed. He stayed silent for a minute just enjoying the moment. "Although it ay not look it sometimes, things are looking up for both of us. It will become more obvious after this vacation."

Another moment of silence content to just stand there and hear the water and see the moonlight glint off the water. "There is one thing training will never change though, you're human, you have flaws and you have a sound grounding. People like the Cardinal are not made through training, they're given the same tools as everyone else by it. One of the things your father did was make sure Agents always know what they're doing and why, rather than simply given orders... to keep us in touch with our morals. He was a great man, but then I've been given a very biased view of him second hand."
 
Cynthia relaxed into Josh's arm. To anyone that passed they might have looked like they were having a romantic evening looking out into the water. That they were talking about their work and life didn't diminish the fact they were comfortable with each other. Cynthia looked out at the water, enjoying the time out there with Josh.

"It's just affirming my own bias," she said with a touch of humor in her voice. "What do you think, should I ask her about him? I mean, I've pretty much got closure now, but, well is it better to keep the past buried, or do you think she would want to?" Her father's partnership with the woman she knew as Daddy Dearest was the biggest reason Cynthia was here right now. It was entirely possible that Daddy knew him better then his own wife, Cynthia's mother. Cynthia knew at the very least her father's death left an impact as big on Daddy as it had his family. It would not be a simple conversation, Cynthia knew that and in sme way wondered if she really wanted to open up that large can of worms with someone who was in essence her boss.
 
"Daddy found closure by continuing his legacy, but getting into the position she is in and making sure the agency was changed for the better in accordance his dream." Josh shook his head. "Shes not likely to open up to you just because you're you father's daughter. She needed an agent, when she didn't anymore she gave you the choice of leaving. If you're want to talk to her about it you're going to have to do it the hard way."

He shook his head. "I've known her a long time. She doesn't trust easily. Its one of the things that makes her good at her job." he straitened up "But for now my dear we should join the party, we can talk more on the floor."
 
Cynthia looked the cue, moving her weight so that she was no longer leaning on Josh and once he moved his arm taking it again. No, she wasn't going to bring up her father to Daddy anytime soon. Someday maybe, but it might be years, or never. That was alright though.

Walking from the deck back inside was a slight adjustment. The lights were much brighter and the sounds of people were much more evident. There was much more to take in and notice. When they reached the ballroom it was evident more people were there tonight, and much livelier. The music was still good though. Tonight was a night to dance.
 
He lead her strait onto the dance floor and keeping her hand in his fell into step. "You known if I had known you could dance I would have done so with you back home." he said avoiding using terms as always with people around. "Except when my leg was injured."t was an easy dance to follow and an easy one to talk during.

"Have you given much though to the rest of the holiday? I'm afraid I might not be as good at doing nothing as I thought."
 
"I suppose I should be glad I can still surprise you," Cynthia said with a grin, though she wondered how he could be serious. It was one activity her mother had encouraged her father teach the three of them. Besides between getting shot when would have Josh had time to ask her for a dance, in the weapons locker?

That was an amusing enough idea all by itself for her grin to quiver ever so slightly for a moment.

"I haven't. Though I am looking forward to swimming. Be nice to be on a beach that's not crowded." Cynthia had briefly thought of swimming inboard the ship and had just as quickly decided against the idea. "Maybe if they have it horseback riding. It's been a while since I've been in the saddle, and I hear beach riding is its own experience." She would be picky though. If it was some sort of guided babysitting ride she would be bored stiff. She wanted to gallop! "I don't know, we will come up with something." And she had no doubt about that.
 
"I have the feeling you're not going to stop doing that." he said guiding her though the next few steps. "And I don't think I've been on a horse in a while either, last saddle I was in I thing was being worn by a donkey. A stubborn one. And I wasn't really technically riding it, but thats a story for another time." he bowed to her as the song finished and he prepared for the next one. But for some reason the band was moving off stage and being replaced by another in flamboyant costumes and the owner of the ship from the previous night was stepping up to the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry for the change in program but a friend of here is here with his recent fiance and so tonight we will have a special dance in his favorite style..." The spotlight was turned on and focused on a surprised looking Josh... "Salsa!"
 
Cynthia was going to definitely ask Josh about that little adventure. She looked over at the stage and was mildly interested as the stage was graced with new musicans. However when the spotlight went to them, Cynthia found herself lifting an eyebrow. She was willing to believe Josh had concocted something but the look on his face said otherwise.

"Really?" she muttered to him. Her back felt prickly and she knew it was because of all those eyes on her, coupled with the name of the dance. Josh was going to have to use his dancing skills to make them both look good. As the music started she willed herself to relax.
 
Josh quickly regained his composure and looked at Cynthia. "You're not running, I guess that means you're my partner, I... well just follow my lead." the band struck up a beat and he started with the three basing steps his hand "Good now hands on my arms and ..." he guided and talked her quietly though the steps getting through a few of the advanced ones before the sing ended and he grinned at her.

"Well done.. I'll have to do it again with you soon so we don't have that confusion with your legs when I pick you up.. promise not to break my nose?" The owner came down from the stage and shook Josh's hands "I see why you're marrying her.." he said...

"If I had had warning I would have practiced."

"Sorry but I didn't know you were coming tonight until last minute, may I have the next dance?"

The band was changing back and Josh looks as Cynthia. "Whats the harm in a dance? I'll reclaim her for the next."
 
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