A teeny tiny chapter to start, but I wanted to see what people thought before writing the next bit. Starts at the begining of series ten, but there are absolutely no Russians in sight throughout this fic. That being said, enjoy...

"So can I see that report?"

"Not while I still draw breath," Harry said, quickly leaving the corridor, knowing that she would soon be following him. Sure enough after a second he heard the click of her heels.

"I must admit I am relieved that you'll be back in your office from today," Ruth said choosing not to mention the report any further.

"I thought you didn't mind Erin?" Harry said as they exited the building and headed towards the waiting car.

"I don't," Ruth replied. "But I don't like it when someone else is in your office," she admitted. Harry didn't pull her up on it, because ever since the enquiry had loomed its ugly head, they had been getting closer to each other. Much more like how they used to be before the horrible Cotterdam mess ruined everything. He didn't want to say or do anything that would make her uncomfortable, or even worse to get back to the awkwardness just after his failed proposal last year. During his suspension it had been a condition that there had to be no contact between the two of them, as Harry had given up a state secret to save her life. Oddly enough it had brought them closer than either expected, once they weren't seeing each other all hours of the day at work. Of course they hadn't listened to the no contact rule, but they had been very careful. Half of him wondered if now that he'd been cleared they'd go back to the horrible silences again. He hoped not.

"You're thinking awfully loudly," Ruth said as the car drove off.

"Sorry," he said smiling slightly. "Just thinking about what favours I now owe to the people in power now I'm cleared."

"There was me worrying it was something serious," she said with a glint in her eye.

Harry was about to say something else when his phone rang. It was a number he didn't recognise and answered it. "Yes?" Ruth watched as he kept his face schooled impassively blank. The only giveaway that he didn't like what he was hearing was a muscle that twitched in his jaw, and Ruth only knew that because she knew him so well. "Right. Yes. No that's fine. Where? Okay. Bye." Harry disconnected the phone breathing heavily.

"Is there a problem?" Ruth asked quietly.

"No" He spoke so quickly she knew he was lying and she felt hurt that he hadn't confided in her. "Um… well, not a problem as such. I just… not expecting…"

"Forget it," Ruth said with a smile. "Talk to me when you can string a sentence together."

"I might just do that," he said as the car stopped. "Can I drop you off at Thames House? I have to be somewhere."

"So busy already?" Ruth said quietly, and there was a hint of sadness there, he could hear it as well as she could. During his suspension she had been his main focus, because there was no one else to talk to.

"I just have to be somewhere. I'll be back soon." Ruth nodded, understanding that at the moment he couldn't talk about whatever it was.

"Well, I'll be here if you need me," she said quietly. There was more lying under the surface of that sentence and they both were aware of it.

"Thank you Ruth." She smiled once more and then opened the car door, heading back to the grid.

"Where to sir?" the driver said, looking in the rear view mirror.

"St Mary's hospital please. Fast as you can."