Sanctuary

The morning sun filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse.

Elena stood on the balcony, wearing one of Nico’s dress shirts. She looked out over the city.

Nico stepped up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I spoke to the Commissioner," Nico said softly. "Miller 'disappeared' during an undercover operation gone wrong. You're clear."

"And the footage?" Elena asked.

"What footage?" Nico kissed her neck.

Elena smiled. She leaned back into him. "I deleted the server logs from the dock cameras remotely while you were in the shower."

Nico paused. He turned her around to face him. A grin spread across his face—a genuine, boyish look she hadn't seen in years.

"My Good Girl," he teased.

"Not anymore," Elena said.

She reached up and straightened his collar. She wasn't just the analyst in the basement anymore. She was the woman in the tower. She knew the risks. She knew the danger.

But as Nico looked at her with pure, unadulterated worship, Elena knew she was exactly where she belonged.

"Breakfast?" Nico asked.

"Coffee," Elena said. "And then... maybe teach me how to shoot something other than a stapler."

Nico laughed, pulling her back inside, closing the glass doors on the world below. They were safe in the shadows they had built together.