Sometimes, in a relationship, we fail to put two and two together because we want so much to keep one and one together. - Robert Brault
Hannibal stood back from the door, watching quietly. Face was at a table further from the house than most. He was frowning at the cards before him. The colonel knew he would claim to be concentrating, nothing more than that. They all knew better, of course. Face never played solitaire unless he needed a mindless distraction. And they all thought they knew why he needed it today.
Over the past few weeks, there had been phone calls. Even a few letters. Mostly on his part. She'd never called first, never sent a letter. Nothing except in response to his missives. He'd always seemed cheerful enough after the phone calls, or when the letters came. But then, that was what Face did. Hoped for the best.
He'd taken a big step before Christmas. Spent days sneaking off the compound, shopping for just the right gift. Walking that fine line between hardly knowing each other and being related. Subtly asking advice from each of them. Separately, of course. Trying to appear casual, the "what sort of things would you buy" type of generalized questions.
Hannibal had no idea what he'd finally settled on. No one else did, either.
No one could keep secrets like Face could.
When Christmas came and went and no phone call, no letter... the facade was a bit harder to maintain. But then today, a package arrived. The look on his face when he saw the postmark...
Hannibal lit the cigar, still watching the card game. He really, really wished Frankie had kept his mouth shut. The rest knew Face really wanted to open it in private, but Frankie was all for continuing their holiday celebration. So Face acted like it was just another present, no different than the ones the team had already exchanged.
Of course, it wasn't.
At first, they'd thought it was great. It was, actually. Ellen had sent everything she could find among her father's effects that had anything to do with "Richard" or "the boy". Even a few pictures, and parts of Bancroft's personal diary that mentioned Samantha.
Face had been nearly overwhelmed.
But as the guys had handed the photos around, Face had opened the letter she'd enclosed. Hannibal was sure it was just a personal Christmas greeting, sister to brother. But he'd caught the sudden change, and the mask almost immediately appearing. Just as fast as the letter disappeared into his pocket.
Hannibal suddenly found himself sitting down at the table, watching the hesitation before the hand holding the last card dropped to the table. Another moment of hesitation before the letter was brought out and tossed on the table.
"She sent that stuff in case I could use it to find out about my family." Face shrugged. "She 'appreciates' my position, but she wants to concentrate on getting her life back on track. Dealing with her feelings about Bancroft, now that she understands him a little better."
He picked up the card, glancing at the ones laid out on the table before placing it carefully on one row. Glanced up at Hannibal and smiled.
"Won again."