This is a completely AU Harry and Ruth meeting inspired by Sigma Creations wonderful stories. The plot will probably be very lose as I'm focusing more on the characters, but I hope its enjoyed.

14th April 1991

Harry Pearce stood outside a café by the Thames, trying to blend in. Over his earpiece he kept getting instructions from his boss in his comfy office about monitoring the transaction going on inside. MI5 were following Peter Lewis, a man who was supplying foreign governments with illegal arms. Especially African governments. He was making ludicrous amounts of money by exploiting incredibly poor countries and it had turned to section D to stop him, or catch him in the act. He used this little café as a cover for his deals for two reasons. Firstly it was small enough not to have any decent CCTV installed, and secondly a lot of city workers came here in their lunch hour so he didn't look suspicious. MI5 had set up their own cameras but he was good, always using blind spots. So Harry had been tasked with following him once he left the café, and Simon, his fellow agent would follow the man he was talking to, for whom they still didn't have a name. Unfortunately Peter always seemed to take his time so Harry was trying to blend into the people walking by the Thames.

"Alpha two, man approaching the building. Could be the contact," the voice said over the earpiece. Simon replied promptly. "Okay home. Keeping an eye out." Harry turned to see if Simon was in shot when something caught his eye. Someone. Sitting by a small table outside the café was a pretty brunette, her face concentrating hard on her book, one hand on her coffee as the sunlight shone on her hair. Suddenly a boat on the river sounded its foghorn loudly, and she looked up from her book, which was clearly captivating her. The woman looked to the river, and just before she returned to the page, her eyes caught Harry's. He breathed quite sharply, because she wasn't merely pretty. She was beautiful. Very much so. She had delicate features, porcelain skin and crystal clear and intelligent blue eyes. Eyes which were studying him intently, a small smile around her lips. Harry seemed mesmerised by her. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. So very beautiful. The type of woman that one rarely saw in day to day life. Her eyes ran over him, taking in his appearance as he did the same to her. As her eyes worked back up to his face, he could tell that she liked what she saw. Realising that he was aware of her scrutiny, she quickly returned to her book, a deep blush on her cheeks. Harry kept his eyes on her and she didn't turn the page and her eyes were focused on one spot, so he knew she was no longer concentrating. Smirking slightly, he allowed his eyes to sweep up her legs, not entirely hidden by the table cloth. She looked good in jeans, he thought before a screaming in his ear brought him back to his senses.

"Alpha one!"

Shit.

"Yes?" he said hurriedly, trying to hide both his distraction and the cause of it.

"Target left the café thirty seconds ago, heading east," the voice said, clearly irritated that Harry hadn't been on the ball. Whipping around Harry quickly caught sight of the man he was supposed to be following, and with a rather large twinge of regret he left the mystery woman to her book, her coffee and her thoughts.

Ruth opened the door, making the bell of the café tinkle somewhere in the depths of the shop. "Just a white coffee please," she said to the waitress behind the counter. Waiting while it was made she got her book out of her bag. The Odyssey. She flicked through it absently until she was handed her coffee and she paid for it, heading to the table for one outside. It was a bright sunny Spring morning, if a little chilly. She was in London to meet Kate, a friend from home, but her train didn't get into the city for a couple of hours so she had some time to kill. She was in her most comfy jeans and a jumper, which she didn't think especially flattering, but who was going to see her? She'd almost read an entire chapter when she felt a prickling on the back of her neck. She stopped reading but didn't look up, until a loud horn from one of the boats on the Thames made her glance up against her will. Then she saw him.

A man was watching her intently and she didn't look away. Mid to late thirties, she thought to herself. And he kept himself fit, judging from the look of him. Not handsome in the traditional sense, but there was something about him that was incredibly attractive all the same. He looked very intriguing and compelling and she couldn't take her eyes off of him. As her eyes went over his shirt (he really should have another button or two undone) and back to his face she realised how much she'd been staring. Blushing she returned to her book, catching a small smile on his face before turning away. But she couldn't concentrate on the words in front of her. Her heart was beating very fast that suddenly she seemed lost in her own bubble. Five minutes later she risked another glance, but the mystery man was gone. She sighed with disappointment and felt some of the tension leave her body, knowing she was no longer being watched. Taking a large sip of her coffee and looking at her watch, she decided to put the man to the back of her mind.

At least for the time being.

More when its written, but this isn't my usual type of writing so it might take longer. Thoughts?