The Man With The Midas Touch Pt.3

Cam sighs in relief when she's finally handed back her phone, wallet and keys. Tucked back into a similar black car as the one she arrived in she tucks back the flyaways from her hair and takes another deep breath.
The door on the other side opens and Cam prepares to go back on her defensive which relaxes again when she realises it's just Sean. He shoots her a smile, takes her hand and kisses her knuckles.

Cam treasures it, threads her fingers with his and holds tight. If this is the last bit of contact she's going to get from him, she's holding on tight.

They're dropped back in front of her block of flats. Surprisingly Sean also exits with her, still holding her hand as she gazes up at the building. Sophie's probably back by now. As much as she loves her stepsister, Cam's not sure she can see her right now. Her old wounds feel like it's just been ripped open and she's still bleeding. She can't face anyone right now, she needs time to let them close up again before she does.

"Camilla, come on sweetheart, I'll walk you up."

He tugs on her hand as he steps forward but she remains standing.
"No, I don't. I can't go home right now Sean."
"Okay," he softly says moving in front of her, "what you need darling?"
She looks at him and makes her decision.
"A hotel or something. I'm not going home tonight."
She can't stand to take these dark feelings she has and tarnish the safe abode she's created. Cam doesn't need those memories lingering when she emerges from this.

"Alright come on then-"
"Are you taking me to a hotel?"
"I'll take you somewhere safe."

With that she silently nods. It's honestly just a relief not to have to figure out where the nearest hotel is right now. She'd much rather just give her exhausted mind a rest and allow him to escort her to this safe house.

They weave their way through various tube lines before finally getting on the overground towards Watford. Though their journey doesn't end there and pretty soon they're both in a taxi from the station going to some location Cam's not familiar with.
"Sean, where are we going?" she asks him quietly in the cab.

"My home," he responds just as they pull up to a quiet residential area.

She's puzzled and frankly taken aback. In a daze Cam exits the vehicle and with trails after Sean to the front door.
"Wait," she calls when he unlocks the front door, "I don't understand."
"You don't want to go home but I don't want you being by yourself right now."
"Sean, I'm not suicidal. I didn't want to go home because my sister Sophie will be there and I just don't have the energy to lie to her right now. She's a lawyer and she can smell lies from a mile away especially when they're from me."

That is also true. It's just in Sophie's nature to scratch and scratch until she has the whole truth at her fingertips. The truths that Cam holds, they aren't meant for civilians like Sophie to know about.

"Then stay with me. You don't need to lie to me."
That's true. But as much as her heart calls for Sean, her head is fully aware of what he is. How can she truly fall for someone who constantly lies. He might have done it in a nice way but he still played her today. He was sent in to extract information from her and he did it. Successfully too. All because her damn emotions spike when it comes to him.

"But you lie to me. I can't stay guard all night tonight Sean. I don't have the energy to do that. And if I'm here with you I'm going to have to."
"Camilla, I'm not going to interrogate you and I'm certainly not going to use anything you say to me tonight against you. This is my home. I'm myself here."

She gets that. He sheds his skin of spy when he's in this place just as Cam would put to the back of her mind her missions when she's back in the UK. His words sound too good to be true though.

"Will you promise me that?"
"Yes sweetheart I promise."
"And promise me you won't be dishonest to me or lie to me or try to manipulate me tonight."

Sean pulls her against him, one hand pressed around her lower back and the other cupping her cheek.
"Camilla Hall, I promise you with my whole heart I will be completely honest with you tonight."
"Okay," she sighs, believing him.
"Now can we please go inside so I can finally take a shower?"

Cam can only laugh and press herself against Sean as she agrees.

Sean makes her a cup of tea and let's her use the bathroom first before he goes in for his shower. Cam tosses her hoodie over the side of his kitchen chair and finishes off her tea before taking a wander around his home. It's pretty different to what she was imagining a man like Sean would live in. For one, she was certainly not expecting a house. She pictured some high rise penthouse suite in the centre of London, decorated in monochromal tones with minimal decor. This house though has a lot of wood accents, a few houseplants, lots of plush furniture. It definitely feels more like a home. A family home even. 

She makes her way from the living room up to the upstairs rooms. The first one is obviously a study and Cam doesn't bother lingering there too long.
The one beside that however is his bedroom. Now that certainly is a lot different to the rest of the house.

There's a large bed that takes up most of the room, an armchair at the nook of one corner, some side tables and the piece de resistance is the large mirrored wardrobe. The sliding furniture is situated a few metres at the end of the bed. With her shoes already off at the front door she tosses off her socks and delves into the softness of his rug. Next off is her bra which is when she can finally exhale deeply. Then it's her hair. She shakes it loose and massages her scalp as she makes a pile on the armchair of all her clothes. 

Cam has to wrestle with herself not to take off her leggings too. If she doesn't stop herself pretty soon she's going to be naked in his bedroom. Now while that's not a bad idea, Cam's not too sure Sean would feel the same way. Then again it didn't exactly take too much convincing last time, would it take much this time?


No.


Cam shakes herself out of her ridiculous thoughts. She's not going to jump the man. He's providing her a place to stay and that's all it is.

Needing a distraction, Cam switches on her phone and is bombarded with the ping of multiple messages and missed calls. All from her Sophie. Silently cursing herself for not checking sooner, Cam quickly calls back Sophie.

"What the fuck?!"
Cam cringes as her sister goes off on a yelling rant. It's well deserved she knows but it doesn't mean she can listen to it without damaging her hearing.
"Cammie where are you?! I came home and you weren't here. You didn't text me. You didn't call me. I called your mom, my dad, no one knew where you were."
"Soph, I'm sorry! I promise I didn't mean to ignore your calls and texts. I had my phone off."
"Why? You never have your phone off."


They live in a busy city and they have to look out for each other. Both Cam and Sophie had promised each other when they decided to live together to make sure to text each other their locations if it got too late in the day. More often than not that wasn't necessary since they'd be at the same party but it was still an agreement they had.

"I know, I know. I just forgot. I'm fine. I'm safe."
"What were you doing anyway that made you forget? Where are you? It's getting late. Are you on your way home? Is it that guy?-"
It's the easiest and closest thing to the truth so Cam jumps at the opportunity to say yes. She needs to come up with a credible story fast.

"We decided to carry the date on all day today as well."
"So you spent all day with him?" asks Sophie incredulously.

This time Cam can honestly say, "yeah. I've been with him all day."
"And now? Where are you?"
"Um...." Cam struggles to find an answer but decides to go with the truth, "at his place."
There's a pause before Sophie asks rhetorically, "what?"
"Look, I'm going to spend the night here okay? I'll be back tomorrow morning. I promise you have nothing to worry about." 

"Oh I'm not worried anymore!" cries Sophie, "you're a grown woman, you spend the night with who you want. But I am shocked. I mean this is you hon. You barely ever go on a second date never mind spending the second night in a row with the same guy. You're really into him huh?"
Yeah a lot of good that's going to do her. By tomorrow Sean will be off doing whatever espionage entails and she'll be back to her flat with Sophie.
"Sort of. I'm just seeing how it goes."
"Alright well I just want to remind you to take a chance on people once in a while, okay? It's good sometimes to fight for a person. Don't give up on someone special."
Cam has to roll her eyes at that. That brilliant, not so subtle advice is clearly just to tell her not to let Sean go if she's into him as she has done before for a few others.

"Yes mum," sarcastically but kindly replies Cam.

Sophie just laughs and quips back, "whatever. Someone's got to look out for you."
"I know and I appreciate it. I appreciate you. Thanks babe."
"Yeah, yeah you're welcome. Now go enjoy the longest first date ever. Love you."
"Love you too."

Cam tosses her phone with the rest of her stuff in the chair. She rolls out the stiffness in her neck and steps closer to the mirrored wardrobe. Curiosity wins over and she opens it up just a touch.


"Find anything good in there?"

She screams and turns around.
"Jesus! Sean!" she yelps hand to heart.

He grins wide, face clean shaven now and hair slightly damp while wearing only a thick towel low on his hips. Her eyes naturally drop down to take in those sculpted muscles, sprinkles of hair over his chest and at his lower belly. Last time she hadn't had a chance to rip off his clothes and boy does she regret that now. Unaware of her quiet gaze, Sean sidesteps her and opens another portion of the wardrobe and grabs a pair of boxers.
"Sean," she calls, grabbing his hand before he puts them on.
"Yeah sweetheart? Give me a minute to get dressed."
"Why bother?"

Sean turns to face her dropping the clothing as he notes her expression. His distraction quickly turns into attention, gaze dropping to her lips, he crowds her against the mirror.
"Not that I'm complaining but are you sure about this darling?"

Her hands go to his lower stomach, distracted as she presses against those hard muscles coated in soft skin.
"Sweetheart," he murmurs, brushing his nose against hers in an eskimo kiss.
Oh right. Now why on earth would this be a bad idea?

"I want this Sean."
"Camilla," he hesitates, pulling back as he finds he struggles to let his biology take over.

Cam's hands lose touch on him but she waits for him to make up his mind and if she happens to thrust her chest out ever so slightly to help him in his decision then so be it.

"After everything today..." 

She waits for him to finish his sentence but he just looks at her willing her to understand in unspoken words. It takes her a moment but she gets it. Her shoulders slump down as she nods in bittersweet disappointment. For a while he'd had her fooled. She'd actually thought he didn't believe himself to be above her despite his fancy job and suits, turns out her morals are lower than that of a spy.

"Right. Because I willingly slept with your target," she states.
Yeah she's heard every name under the sun directed at her for having sex with a man of a higher rank than her. Sean probably doesn't care about that but he probably does that it was with a man that's done something so wrong he has two countries after him. That's probably knocked her down a few pegs in his books.

He frowns and is suddenly back on her. This time his hands flatten on the mirror beside her neck.
"Look at me."
She does as he commands looking up at him.
"That was coercion. That piece of shit wanker threatened you with your life to take advantage of an awful situation for his selfish needs. I know what it's like to do things you don't want to in order to stay alive. So don't waste your time or energy feeling bad for the actions of that bastard. All that matters right now is you're here, alive and well."

Well, Cam certainly has to swallow her pride there. The smile is slow but wide when it's fully unveiled.
"So what's the problem then?"
She loops her hands around his neck this time, not allowing him to step back and away again unless it's really what he wants.

"The problem is sweetheart you saw what some of my work is like. But there's a lot more to it. And I certainly won't be here in the country for most of it. Why do you think I've avoided relationships? What kind of one do you think we could have? Certainly not one that would fit with your life."

She understands where he's coming from, especially since she's used that same logic and argument in the past. The point is though, she's not asking for more from him even though she desperately wants to.

"Sean, babe, I'm not asking you for anything more than one night. Just like I didn't ask you for anything more than anything last night. We can only take this one day at a time. If tomorrow you have to go to some exotic place and do some top secret mission, I'm not going to be the one to hold you back."

"Okay sweetheart but do you think this is what you need right now?"
"It's what I want Sean. I went through all I needed to do to heal and I feel I have. I still hate the tosser and I always will and sure it's still hard to talk about it but I can separate him from my partners, Sean. I would never ever confuse you two."
"I would hope not," he mutters. 

Cam smiles again and pulls down, dragging his head lower to hers.

"Now is that everything? Because this really is the hardest I've ever had to try to convince a guy to have sex with me."

His fingers delve beneath her t-shirt caressing her sides as he whispers, "that's because most guys are pigs."

Cam raises an amused eyebrow, "except you?"
"Except me. That's why you should stay away from the rest of 'em."

At that territorial remark she can't help but toss her head back and laugh. As she quietens he captures her in a kiss. She falls into it and then against him. His fingers trail over her back before eventually pushing up her t-shirt. They break apart with just enough time for Cam to pull off the garment. He thrusts her further against the wall to make out with her more aggressively. Except it hardly feels like a minute before he's already easing back. Cam strengthens her grip around him, bringing him down and tugging him back onto her. 

"Maybe we should slow down?" he whispers roughly as she uses the opportunity to kiss along his neck, her hands exploring the expanse of his chest.
She's met a whole range of guys in her previous line of work; big guys, skinny guys, chubby guys and she never considered herself particularly drawn to the typical broad, muscled pretty boy type however feeling those smooth indents of defined muscle does send a thrill through her. Then again his stomach could be convexed and soft and she would still find him attractive. It's not as much about his body as it is him. Of course it definitely helps that she likes what she sees too.

"Or maybe we can keep going?" she retorts, kissing down his sternum and lowering down onto her knees. He shuffles back a little to give her space though rather than rejoicing like most men he grips her elbow forcing her to gaze up.


"Are you really going to object to a blowjob?" she teases incredulously.
She's felt his dick, it's definitely not one that would fit easily in her hands or mouth. Though regardless what man says no to oral? Plus he had his turn to play, she definitely didn't. If this is all they have left Cam wants a good long look, feel and taste of him.
"Definitely not," he grins, "but if I'm naked. I want you naked as well."
She beams at him in surprise. Okay, well then...far be it from her to deny him that wish.

********************

This part is continued on my profile on Inkitt (under the same name). For more details look at the 'Foreword' at the start. The Foreword also explains why I have to do it like this. Don't come for me, it's not my favourite choice.

*********************

Cam lazily shifts beneath the heavy body of Sean who'd collapsed forward onto her. His body heat adds to the euphoric warmth of her orgasm. Her mind brain floats in a cocoon of endorphins as she smiles in happiness. Her partner groans softly, shifting before dragging himself off her. With that she rolls over to her back and watches as he stands there zoned out for a moment. Cam can't help but grin at the man's lost expression because for a moment he really appears way younger than his age.

"I'll be right back. Bathroom. Stay there," he directs, bossy even after sex.

Cam just gives him a salute with the flick of her wrist and collapses into the sturdy mattress as she basks in the afterglow. With her defenses lowered her treacherous mind starts wandering to places it has no business going to, opening chapters that were firmly closed. Kelley had been chatty before and after fucking her. He'd for whatever reason had tried to cultivate some intimacy. Though her answers to his questions had been short, he'd been lengthy in his stories of childhood. How he'd grown up in foster care never making any family except for one- a brother. When he noticed her blank uninterest he would turn that fury into a punishing kiss or more. For whatever reason he'd wanted her interested in him. He'd even tried to get her to call him by his first name- Matt but she'd refused. It was confusing to say the least. It had made her think dangerous thoughts that maybe it just wasn't an asshole in power taking advantage. Maybe he had targeted her.

Cam's stomach clenches as nausea bubbles in her. Before she can dwell too much on that analysis Sean returns with a washcloth in hand. The sweet gesture makes her smile again. She sits up reaching for it but he pulls it back with a shake of his head. Taking care of her, Sean drops the material in a hamper she hadn't noticed before sliding on a pair of boxers. He shakes out a folded t-shirt and offers her it as she sits on the edge of the bed.



"Thanks," mumbles Cam slipping on the material.
It barely covers her arse but at least it's soft and comfy.
"Hungry sweetheart? I can make us some dinner if you want or we can order something."
She lets him tug her up, holding her close with his arms around her hips.
"Yes but first, Sean?" she nervously starts.
He should know about her newly discovered repressed memories but those memories have also set ablaze something else in her. A need to bring about resolution for herself. Though she's not dumb enough to go this alone unless she has to.

"Do you promise you'll find Kelley? Promise me you'll lock that bastard up or...make him pay for his crimes." 

Beck's hands drop from her as his brain fires a thousand thoughts a second. Stephen was right. He is too close to this. To her. The fact that he has a burning wish to promise her all that proves it. He can't be objective in this case and it's going to fuck everything up. For a field agent, emotions don't have no place on a mission. That's the kind of shit that gets you killed...painfully. But besides that, even if he could control all that, they might actually resort to using Camilla as bait. A plan that considering their dismal lack of leads is entirely too probable. He won't be able to watch that or allow it to happen. And if he's out there dangling her for Kelley how the hell is he going to be able to protect her? So as much as it breaks her heart and breaks him to do this, he knows it needs to be done. He'll concede to Stephen tomorrow morning.

"Sweetheart, Camilla," he softly explains, "the thing is. I'm too close to you on this. I'm going to have to be transferred off it."
"What?" she spits in confusion, "Sean you can't just drop this case. You said it was important. I put myself through that because you said it was necessary!"

"And it is! It was!" he reassures her, grabbing onto her hips to calm her again, "darling, the case will still be open. It's just I won't be on it."

Cam drops her chin a myriad of emotions crossing her face before she settles on stubborn disapproval. With Sean on it, she could trust the job would be done. But she sure as hell doesn't trust anyone else in that building. Not that Stephen guy and certainly not 'Katie'. Guess she'll just have to do it herself. Or at least go as far as she can.

"Then I'll do it myself."
Sean snorts a laugh before realising she's serious.
"Camilla, darling...come on. This is hardly your expertise. What makes you think you can do something a whole team of trained operatives haven't done yet?"
Rage flashes through her before she carefully digests his words. He does make a point. It's not her expertise. Her observational skills are unparalleled, her combat skills more than fair and her survival instincts precise but she's not a spy. She tracked people in a very specific way and certainly not like this.

"Join me," she states.
It's his turn this time to ask, "what?"

"I'm going to track down Kelley, Sean. Help me do it. Join me."
Her tone is even, resolute. It makes Sean shake his head in madness. How the hell did they end up here?
"Camilla, come on now. It's not that simple. And even if we did track him down, what do you propose to do with him?"
If this is a mission of vengeance he'll lock her up until that idea exits her head. Revenge like that against a man so deadly will end badly and most likely with her hurt. He'll be right beside her if she goes off being a renegade but that doesn't mean he'll be able to negate all the destruction and pain it will cause. Besides, he's witnessed one too many people go crazy focusing on such a powerful emotion. He won't allow it to be her.

"You can take him in, to the SIS. I don't care what happens to him after. We both know SIS won't let me be a part of this and I want to be, Sean. I need answers. He targeted me. It wasn't a coincidence. I need to know why. Why me?"

He knows that's true. He was already told that and it seems she's figured it out too. It must be a new revelation if it's carved this hole in her. It's true that SIS definitely won't let her be a part of it and they certainly wouldn't answer any of those questions for her. In fact, the question of why her is the least important for them and wouldn't even be on the list.
Beck exhales as he runs a hand through his hair and faces away from her, hands clasping behind his neck. He could help her, theoretically. He has his holidays saved up. He could request for those immediately and do this with her. But this is going to take way more than a few weeks. They have no leads first of all. His biggest lead was her and that was grasping at straws. He's read over Kelley's file about a thousand times and nothing.

"Camilla this is crazy," sighs Sean, "do you know what you're asking me to do? It's just my career I'd be risking. This could get me in serious trouble, it could get you in serious trouble. Especially if we fail to catch him and get caught ourselves."
"I know it's a lot to ask Sean," she murmurs stepping into his personal space, her palms smoothing over his chest, "I know I'm asking you to risk a lot for me. But I can't do this without you. I need your help."

Sean inhales, grabbing her hands in his but leaving them where they are on his body. As he exhales slowly he pulls them down and Cam feels her hope slowly slipping.

"I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to give you that much help. I don't know where to start, you were my best lead," he admits.

Now that is a problem Cam does have a solution to. As excited as she is to tell him about the solution she has, Cam hesitates. What's really to stop him taking her information and regaining his position on the case? Or even passing that information onto whoever is in charge now?



"You promised me honesty tonight Sean," she reminds him, causing him to nod slowly in confusion at which she carries on, "so if I tell you something that might be a clue that I just remembered, are you going to make me regret telling you?"
"What information? Regret how?" he questions letting go of his hold on her.
She tucks back her hair and asks in all seriousness, "regret as in are you going to cut me out of this? If the intel is any good, help me in pursuing this. Don't just pass it onto someone else or keep me out of the loop. Promise me you won't do that. Honestly."


"Okay," he slowly agrees, "I can promise you that. In fact, I promise if it looks like a solid clue we'll partner up and follow it together but I take the lead."
Fine. Of course she would rather be the one leading but she trusts him enough to keep them both safe.

"Deal. Do you have a piece of paper and pen?"

He finds a memo pad and pen for her watching over her shoulder as she scribbles down some numbers and a name. She points to the numbers first. 

"The first night I was with the Major, he had a private satellite phone he would use. It was the only call he made in that time and I didn't pay much attention to it but he did say these numbers. When his attention then turned to me, I would repeat them. Just to try keep myself sane. After we were rescued I never considered them more than just a mantra. I was so dumb. I should have realised they're not just numbers they're-"
"Co-ordinates," finishes Sean in disbelief.
"Yeah," nods Cam, "longitude and latitude."
"Are you sure these are accurate Camilla? It has been a long time since then and you may have misheard." 

It's entirely possible but Cam is adamant he's wrong about that. Kelley hadn't bothered to screen that call from her and she'd heard perfectly fine. Repeating it as many times as she did, they're ingrained in her mind now and Cam has absolutely no doubt that each of those numbers are the ones she heard.

"I'm hundred percent positive Sean."
"And the name?"
She looks down to where she wrote 'Lee'. Now this she's a little more unsure about.

"Kelley had a brother he talked about. Someone who was also in the social care system with him. He said they would mail each other even when they lived miles apart. He only referred to him as Lee. I don't know if that's a nickname, a first name or a surname. But he talked a lot about him. I think they kept in contact even as adults."

That's odd. Beck searches his memories of all the files he'd read on Major Kelley. He can't recall there being anyone named Lee or even anything close to that, especially not someone who grew up with Kelley for any period of time. The man was a loner until the military. And if they were sending each other actual postal mail there wouldn't be a digital trail to follow. The fact Kelley hid this relationship can only mean bad, shady things. At least they have another clue to go on. Kelley met this Lee in the system which means even if it takes a lot of analysis, they could find this guy.

"So..." drawls Camilla, "is this good enough for you to help me?"

Beck's hands land on her hips as he takes a moment though who really who is he kidding? HIs mind had already been made up the moment she'd asked him to join her. It was just that small reasonable part of him fighting it. Now, there's little reason left to fight it.

"Yes," quietly states Beck, "welcome to my world sweetheart."

Damn it. Damn him and his stupid heart.

May God help them and forgive him for his weakness of being the spy who loves her. 

A/n Yay!!! I feel so much better ending Cam and Sean on this note of them going on a manhunt adventure. I understand the switching of Sean to Beck and vice versa must have been a little confusing but it was deliberate since I wanted Beck to think of himself as the 'spy' and Sean to be the 'man' for Camilla.