*Ivy*
"Your wife ?!" I stare at Tom in utter shock, this was about the last thing I expected him to say. I mean I had known there was something between them, but I hadn't thought it was this serious. "You have a wife ?"

"Yeah my wife.. I know it sound kind of crazy, considering what I do". He sigh and run a hand over his face. "It's very complicated".

Zac just glare at him, pointing at the couch. "And we are both fairly intelligent people, so I think we can follow you. I would love to hear why you were inviting Ivy out if you are married".

"Okay, I guess I owe you an explanation". He says, then the doorbell rings. "Is it okay if I just brief the doctor first ?"

I nod, and Tom hurry to the door, letting in the doctor, explaining to him what happened, while walking to the bedroom. I hear Tom's voice from in there, it is so soft and caring and I have no doubt that his feeling for her are deep and genuine. "Just relax my Dove, doctor Hanson here is going to check you over, you can trust him".
Tom comes back out, closing the door behind him. He sits down on the couch, looking at us. "Well I better start at the beginning".

"Yeah please do, I kind of feel totally lost here". I look at him, turns out Tom is not at all the man I thought. "So you are a secret agent ? CIA ?"

"British intelligence MI6, been for 7 years now. I was recruited by a friend who is no longer doing field work". He say, looking at his hands. And all I can think is, of course MI6 just like James Bond.

Zac nods slowly. "Yeah this part I know. Tom is.. what should we call it.. their master of seduction.. their modern day Mata Hari".

"Thanks Zac, nice way to call me a whore. But well yeah, my job is often to get inside, to gain trust, and well that often means I have to put my personal needs and desires aside and play a part". He says, glancing up at me.

Zac clears his throat. "What Tom says is that his job is to ensnare the men and fuck the women to make them tell him their secrets".

"Thank you Zac, as always you have such a delicate way of putting things". Tom say, glaring at him. Zac just makes a face, shrugging his shoulders.

"Sorry Tom, but it sounds.. well it can't be easy living like that. I mean constantly being someone else, doing things you might not want to do". I say, I mean being an actress is one thing, but that is a whole other level.

Zac huffs. "Oh yeah really hard, sleeping with beautiful women, jetsetting all over the world, hanging out in luxury and help stopping the bad guys, sounds really bad".

"Zac ! Shut up with the commentary my dear". I say, sending him a glare. Honestly he isn't really being helpful right now.

"Well sometimes it gets hard holding onto the real you, being yourself. You tend to slip into the role automatically. So sometimes you cling to small things to stay just a bit grounded". Tom says. His eyes telling me that he is definitely hiding some pain too.

I take his hand. "I get it Tom, but why do you keep doing it then ? And what is the story with you and Dove ? She seems like a great girl by the way".

"She is, she is amazing". He says, an involuntary smile spreading on his face. "I met Dove two years ago, after a problematic case in England, we were put together on a case on the Riviera in France, we were posing as a married couple, and well we were head over heels, ended up running of to Las Vegas after the case and got married. We talked about getting out, stopping. Agents are not allowed to have relationships with each other, so we had to hide our marriage".

I look at him, the way his eyes light up every time he mention her name, and the special smile that seems reserved for thinking of her. "You really do love her don't you ? Why didn't you get out then ?"

"I do, I love her more than anything. I wanted out, but then Dove got a call, a very important case and we agreed, just this last one and then we would get out. Then I got a case, it was some really nasty guys, human trafficking, they took them as kids, groomed them and sold them as sexslaves. I had to do it, to stop them and Dove agreed. It turned out the ring leader was a woman and she.. well she liked me.. I could take down the whole ring if I could get the info from her. I called Dove and she told me to do what I had to do. After that case, stopping such evil, I couldn't just walk away, knowing that cases like that might not be cracked, people like that might not be stopped". His shoulders slump.

Zac takes a deep breath. "Well I actually kind of get you Tom, what you do, even if you sometimes have to do bad things to do it, it's good, I mean you save people, you stop some really evil people. I get why it's hard to stop doing it".

"Me and Dove, we didn't get much time together, always away on assignments, and I had to keep up the facade too, jetting of to make movies and when we had to keep it hidden. But the times we had together". He laughs softly. "It was amazing, perfect, wonderful. I finally had something that tethered me, kept me grounded".

I reach out to squeeze his hand. "So what went wrong then ? Because I sense a lot of pain, in both of you".

"I had a big case in Madrid about 8 months ago, Dove just happened to be in the city too. We managed to squeeze in some alone time". He says with a wink. "I was working this very rich spanish woman and well Dove saw us together. She freaked and messed up everything, got me suspended and in loads of trouble for trying to hide her involvement. Spend 3 months locked up, they had to assess if I was a liability".

"She got you locked up in high security lock up for three months and suspended ? Ouch love hurts man". Zac says, looking kind of amused, making me throw a pillow at him.

Tom just nods. "When I got out, I was told she had defected, gone rogue. I tried finding her, but no trace at all. I haven't seen her since. Not before the other day at the Bernard mansion".

"But if she defected or you thought she did, wasn't it your job to.. stop her ?" I mean I have all my knowledge from movies and tv, so I am not really sure.

Tom nods. "Well yeah. But I know her, I trust her and it turned out she was deep undercover. And well maybe not entirely happy to see me".

"Okay, one question Tom, if you really love her, and I get you thought she had went rogue and everything, but if you still love her. Why were you going to go for Ivy ?" Zac asks, making me gasp and look at Tom, he wanted to do what ?

Tom sends me a sheepish smile. "Yeah about that.. sorry.. honestly, you reminded me of her, I.. I .. oh shit I know it's fucked up, but I was trying to have her back even though she wasn't there. It wouldn't have been fair, because you aren't her of course".

"It's okay Tom. You must have been crushed, not knowing were she was, if she was good or bad, or even dead or alive". I actually get him, get them. Damn it must be hard odds for a relationship, for love.

The doctor comes out the room and Tom is instantly on his feet and goes to talk with him, walking him out, taking care of the bill I guess. I get out and move to Zac, sliding down on his lap. "Suddenly our trouble seems so small, I can't imagine living like them".

"Yeah, I mean I knew about the agent thing, but this, I had no idea. Poor Tom, suffering in silence". Zac puts his arms around me, pulling me into him, burrowing his face in my shoulder.