**I had a lot of fun writing this chapter!! Don't forget to leave a vote if you enjoyed it, and comment as you read! :)**

The sun hadn't even begun to rise when Beau came knocking on my door in an attempt to wake me.

Already up, I had been braiding my long black hair into a single braid down my back, as I checked to make sure my outfit looked decent. I wore my favorite white Nike sweatshirt with a grey swoosh design on the front, black athletic leggings, and my pair of black and white Adidas running shoes.

I shoved my phone into one of the pockets of my leggings and thrust the door open with a hand on my hip, my blue eyes glaring into Beau's annoyedly, as I took in his athletic wear.

He had replaced his tawny-colored leather jacket with a black sweatshirt similar to mine, grey joggers on his long legs with a matching set of grey running shoes.

Beau seemed surprised at my readiness, probably assuming that he would have had to wake me up each morning so I could get ready. I made fun of his messy-looking sandy curls in an attempt to get him to stop staring at me, and then we had walked down the hall toward the cafeteria.

I scowl when Beau rushes to hold the cafeteria door open for me, suddenly stopping when a few of the agents glance up at me, their eyes narrowing in recognition as my heart clutches in shame. They must be thinking of yesterday... or have already heard about it.

I can't help but take an involuntary step back at the steadily growing disgust in their eyes, bumping into Beau's chest as my heart begins to race a little faster and my breaths grow more and more ragged.

"Harper, are you alright?" his voice asks tenderly, his voice unbearably soft. I whirl at the breach of professionalism, my eyes trailing up to see Beau's jade eyes grow more concerned.

Weakness... a voice within me whispers, as he reaches a hand out to steady me.

My hands clench in defiance of the voice, as I quickly shove his hand away. I have to prove to him... them... that I'm not weak.

"Of course I'm okay." I snap back at him, thrusting a hand into my black hair out of habit, before remembering I have it braided back. I quickly withdraw it as a few black strands fall into my vision, before drawing my shoulders back and raising my chin in mock confidence.

I am not weak, I repeat to myself, as I step through the cafeteria doors and walk towards the breakfast bar, pretending as if there isn't a bunch of eyes observing my every move as I take a wrapped burrito from the bar and place it onto an orange plastic tray, moving to get some scrambled eggs.

Beau quietly follows behind me and grabs his own breakfast, before we both walk to a small table that holds three jugs. One of orange juice, one of milk, and the other with water.

I reach for the one with orange juice and grab a paper cup, pouring myself a drink, before setting it onto my tray and walking over to one of the empty tables at the end of the cafeteria.

Beau sits down in front of me just as I unwrap the burrito, a cup of milk in his hand and an egg sandwiched between the two croissants on his plate. I can feel his troubled eyes trying to decode my expression, but I keep it neutral as I force myself to meet his jade eyes with my ice-blue ones.

"Stop doing that," I growl, before shoveling a bite of scrambled eggs into my mouth annoyedly.

"What? What am I doing?" he asks, shoving up his hands in irritation. "I'm merely looking at you! I haven't said anything, I haven't even taken a bite of my food!"

My eyes darken as I drop my chin to give him a dirty glare, taking my time to finish chewing my food before answering. "You keep looking at me with that fake concern in your eyes. Stop. Doing. It."

"How do you know it's fake?" he retorts after a second, taking a long swig of his milk, as if it's a shot of alcohol to calm his irritation.

"Because there's no fucking way you would care the slightest bit about me when I've been nothing but an asshole to you." I grit out, my knuckles turning white as I grip the plastic spoon in my hand.

Beau glowers as he rolls his eyes in tired frustration. "Ça me fait chier! Maybe not everyone's as much of a jerk as you, cherie."

"Don't call me that," I snap, enraged at the French endearment-turned-insult that drives an invisible blade of grief through my heart.

"Aw, does the American not like being called mon cherie? Well je m'en fous!" Beau snarls sinisterly, grinning when I gawk at his sudden vulgarness. An agent at the table next to us snorts, as I slam my fist down onto the cafeteria table.

"I'm your mission partner, but that doesn't mean I have to be your friend as well... now casse-toi pauvre con!" I roar, as Beau gasps at my vulgarity, all of the agents around us now staring at us in shock.

Shit... maybe I went too far.

"Bien merde! Would it kill you to have a friend or two? Would it kill you to actually be pleasant for once? How do you expect us to work together when you're too busy treating me like a punaise?" Beau seethes, gripping the table in exasperation, my previous thought evaporating within seconds.

"Yes actually," I state pettily, grabbing the burrito on my plate and quickly shoving it into my mouth before he can say anything more.

Beau sits there in silence for a few seconds, his green eyes bulging in rage as he glares at me while drawing in deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself. I can't help but grin evilly as I watch him internally battle for the restraint to not leap across the table and strangle me, his own eyes darkening in pure hatred.

Ohhhh, there's nothing that brings me more joy than watching this french idiot attempt to restrain himself from clocking me right in the face.

Beau looks away from my grin as his face glows red in anger, before his breaths slowly start to turn back to normal. He suddenly drops his head into his hands and groans. "How the hell am I going to do this everyday? Maudit soit ma compassion!"

We ate the rest of our meals together in silence, Beau refusing to meet my eyes in an attempt to keep us from fighting again in front of the agents surrounding us. I couldn't stop smirking the whole time as I stared into his still-red face while I ate the rest of my burrito and scrambled eggs. I suppose if I continue to be a thorn in his side, he won't have time to think about my weakness... or give me one of those goddamn annoying looks of concern.

I mentally pat myself on the back as we both get up to put away our trays. Good job Harp, you've found a solution to this problem... now you just need to figure out how you're going to distract everyone else.

"Where to now?" I ask boredly, fiddling with the tip of my braid as I glance up into Beau's face, his jade eyes still avoiding mine. The corner of my lip lifts slightly. Damn, this guy really is sensitive isn't he? I tap the tip of my braid to my chin. That's going to be slightly problematic... for him.

Beau walks toward the exit doors of the cafeteria and opens them to step through by himself, this time not holding them open for me as it swings back and almost smacks me in the nose. I can't help but roll my eyes at his pettiness. Anddd the gentleman is gone after a few barbed words, knew it.

"I figured we could take a warm-up run around one of the gardens nearby."

I nod as I follow him down the hall, still amused with the fact that he won't meet my eyes even though there are not any more agents nearby. "How long will we have before you'll have to leave to work on the mission?"

"Probably three hours," he says clippedly.

"Not so conversational now, are we?" I poke, not being able to help myself.

Beau whirls around to scowl at me, finally looking into my eyes with his jade ones. I open my mouth to speak again, his eyes narrowing as I see him visibly prepare for a barbed retort or a blunt insult. Instead, I decide not to humor his prediction, as we continue to walk.

"What have we learned recently about the new mission?"

Beau pauses for a second as his jade eyes bore into mine, before relenting, finally letting go of a bit of his pettiness. "Well, we confirmed that the shootout in the alleyway two days ago was an organized attack by the Serpent's Circle-" I immediately stop walking, whipping around to face him again as my braid slides off my shoulder. I hadn't even had time to question why we were attacked...

"An organized attack? How could they have known who we were... who I was when I had only just flown in?" I ask, my eyes burning into Beau's as I desperately wait for his answer.

"That's what we're trying to figure out. The team is going to be meeting today to re-evaluate the information we have on the Circle's motives, before deciding how we will want to proceed-" Beau hesitates for a second, before running a hand through his sandy curls and giving me a blunt look. "Don't be upset with me for saying this... but I think that maybe it is a good idea for you to take a break from the field. The attack made it seem a lot like you were the target."

"Me?" I snort, rolling my eyes at his deathly-serious expression. "Yes, the Serpent's Circle, a highly infamous assassin league, wants to capture me of all people. You're joking... right?"

Beau crosses his arms, the irritation from earlier returning. "Think about it Medley, it's well known that the Serpent's Circle kidnaps agents. The two thugs who were positioned in the windows of the alleyway were on the perfect level to catch you unaware."

"Perhaps, but how would they have known that I was going to walk through that exact alleyway at that exact moment? And how come when they did catch me unaware, they didn't even shoot to kill? They-"

"Aimed at your legs?" he finishes, raising an eyebrow as I start to remember more of the events of that night. "Do you also recall how the sniper on the roof aimed for me, not you?"

I can't help but bite my lip as I consider what Beau is claiming. I suppose we don't quite understand their motives for kidnapping certain agents and killing others... but why me of all people?

"You haven't told Harks about this have you?" I probe, my heart lifting slightly with hope. Please, please don't have told him about this fact yet... if Harks knows that I might be a target, it will increase the chances of him not letting me return to the mission.

"I have not, he didn't have time to debrief me after your... incident. Why?" he asks, gesturing for us to continue on our path. I quickly walk after him to match his pace.

"Beauregard," I begin, as Beau's jade eyes flick to mine in surprise at the break of professionalism. "Can you please not tell Harks about this? At least not until he lets me back into the mission?"

Beau hesitates, before shaking his head, sending my heart plummeting to the ground. "Regardless of that going against literally everything I've been taught, would you do the same for me if I asked you to?"

I think about our roles reversing for a second, grimacing at what my automatic response would be; Absolutely not you dick, sucks to fucking suck.

The disapproving frown on Beau's lips tugs up slightly. "My point exactly, and I'm not one to allow others to put themselves in harm's way, believe it or not."

I scowl and step in front of his path, as he almost crashes into me. "Can't you just say fuck it for once and give me this? Besides, don't give me that bullshit about caring, we've been over this."

"Fille inconsciente! I most certainly cannot just say 'fuck it!'" Beau huffs angrily, his french accent growing husky in rage. "And not everyone is as...négligente about others' feelings as you are!"

I glare at him and cross my arms, lifting my chin to hold my ground, "Well maybe I would be nicer if you would help me out a little here! I'm just asking for a small favor!"

"It's not just a small favor, and that 'nicer' merde is rich! I'm sure one would be able to fit a camel through the eye of a needle much easier than you trying to be 'nice.'" Beau drawls, crossing his own arms in stubbornness.

"Oh, it's on you french bastard." I snap, my common sense being overshadowed by my overwhelming sense of competitiveness in that moment. "If you don't tell Harks about your theory of me being a target, and you stop giving me those patronizing looks, I'll do my best to be 'nicer.' But I get to slap you if you give me one of those fake concerned looks again." I declare, thrusting my right hand out as I raise an eyebrow in challenge.

Beau grips my hand as our eyes burn into each others'. "Fine, but if you say even the slightest jab at me, you have to buy me dinner. And no more cussing."

"Buy you dinner? That's what you want? And I never agreed on the cussing part." I growl, trying to tug my hand away, but Beau holds it firmly.

"Do you want a deal or not?" he asks, raising a single blond eyebrow.

I pause, before yielding. "Fine, if I'm not nice then I'll buy you dinner..."

"And...?" Beau trails off, tilting his head down as he waits for me to finish.

"And I won't cuss." I snap, as Beau grins and shakes my hand. "You got yourself a deal, mon cherie."

I scowl at the mocking endearment and open my mouth for a barbed retort, but Beau holds up a silencing finger as he chuckles. "Ah-ah, we've literally just struck the deal. You can't break it now of all times."

I clench my fists and turn around to continue down the hall towards the exit doors, my neck heating when I feel Beau's eyes blaze a hole through my back. 

This is going to be much harder than I thought.