Disclaimer: I don't own Spooks. All copyright belongs to BBC and Kudos productions. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred.
Forever?.
Ruth smiled as she looked at the hand drawn card with 'Birthday Mum' written in pink crayon on the front. She knew Gracie had been drawing the card the previous evening. The little girl was more exited than usual when she had run into the bedroom that morning, bouncing on the bed as Ruth had tried to come to her senses. Nick had been stood in the doorway behind her carrying a tray of tea and toast.
"Happy birthday Mum." Nick had handed her the tray and kissed her cheek as Ruth smiled.
"Don't be sad." Gracie smiled. "Its your birthday. Daddy will be home soon. And you've got me and Nick and Scarlett and Fidget and Muggles and Catherine and Graham and Charlie and Lilly and Terri." Gracie snuggled into Ruth's side as Ruth kissed her hair.
"I know. Thank you both. Now, go get dressed." Ruth ushered them out of the room trying not to think that this would be the first birthday since her return from Cyprus that she wouldn't see Harry. She glanced at the cards on her lap, thankful that she had family and friends who had wanted to wish her a happy birthday but desperately sad that Harry had been called away with other Section Heads to a meeting the other side of the country. She knew the outcome of the meeting would determine the future of Section D - that he had no choice but to go but she had hoped to at least speak to him. Sighing heavily she set about getting ready for the day ahead.
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"Happy birthday." Zaf hugged her the moment she arrived on the Grid. Ruth smiled, mumbled her thanks and headed towards her desk as she realised more cards and a small neatly wrapped box sat on her desk. Ros was in Harry's office talking on the phone but there was still no sign of her husband. Lucas wished her a happy birthday as Malcolm appeared at her desk.
"Hi."
"No news?"
"Not since he left. You know him, he will be in touch when he can. The politics of all this is a nightmare."
Ruth nodded. "I know they are in some underground bunker somewhere where there is no mobile signal or any way of communicating with the outside world. Its because of all the leaks, the Home Secretary has gone over board." She slumped at her desk. Malcolm nodded.
"He'll call you when he can. Try to enjoy your day." He slipped back to his desk as Ros emerged from the office, still unhappy about being left in charge. Before Ruth could wallow anymore in the unfairness of the Home Secretary calling the urgent special meeting over the weekend that was just before her birthday. She shook her head, annoyed at herself for letting herself slip into self pity. She had survived birthdays without Harry before and she knew she would again. Booting up the computer she began forced herself to focus on her work, knowing the morning meeting was less than an hour away.
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Harry headed back to his car as the rain began to bounce off the tarmac floor of the car park. He was tired, annoyed and wanted to go home. There had been little point in putting the meeting on in the first place as far as he could see. Crowther had demanded that the Section Heads of MI-5 and SIS counter terrorism as well as police and Armed Forces had met in an unused Cold War bunker on the Sussex close. He hated the place, it was cold, depressing and full of politicians who knew little if anything about Counter Terrorism. He checked his phone, more annoyed to see that not only was there no signal the battery was very low. He swore under his breath before getting into his 4x4 and driving away. The radio crackled as the local radio presenter announced delays and road works causing havoc on the way back to London.
"Christ on a bike!" He hit the steering wheel as he drove out of the car park, knowing he wouldn't relax until he was home. The rain got worse as he headed towards the motorway, the parting words of the Home Secretary still ringing in his ears. He cursed the whole weekend, knowing that he should have been at home with his family, he should have been surprising Ruth on her birthday. Turning 48 was a milestone as far as he could tell. He smiled to himself, knowing that the knowledge his wife was just two years away from the 'Big 50' was not going to be an easy thing for her to accept. She had berated him about his concern over their age gap but he knew neither of them were getting any younger and time was so important. He glanced at the clock on the dashboard knowing that he had at least another two hours to go, if the roadworks were kind to him, probably three if they weren't.
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"Happy birthday." Adam kissed her cheek as he appeared behind her. "You ok?"
"Yes." Ruth smiled, nodding once. "Thanks for my card."
"Don't you have somewhere to be? Its almost 6. Alec, Zaf and Beth are out meeting assets. Malcolm and Tariq have gone home. Even Ros has packed up for the night. Why are you still here?" He smiled kindly as Ruth turned to face him. She knew he was one of her closest friends. Adam Carter, along with Zaf were the brothers she should have had. She knew he was just trying to get her to enjoy what was left of the day.
"Gracie is with Terri and Graham. Nick is at rugby training with Wes." Ruth explained. "Its not a big birthday, I'm surprised anyone remembered."
"Having your step-daughter work here helps." Adam smiled as Ruth rolled her eyes. For a spook and the daughter of a spook Catherine Reid could be very indiscrete when she wanted to be. "Go home, take care of yourself for once. Harry will probably go straight to your place anyway. Has he called?"
"No." Ruth tried not to let the emotion show in her voice. "He's busy. This is an important meeting. I."
"He'll be here." Adam squeezed her hand. "Or he will call. He hasn't forgotten."
"I know." She sighed. "I know. Go home. Carrie and Issy will be waiting for you." Adam smiled at the mention of his wife and daughter. Isabella was really a 'daddy's girl'.
"Oh, by the way." Ruth raised an eyebrow. "Message from Harry. If he's not back by 7 look in the desk drawer."
He squeezed her hand before heading away from her to grab his keys and jacket before leaving the Grid. Ruth glanced at the clock in the corner of her computer screen. The little white numbers signalled it was 18:55. Once Adam had left she headed towards the darkened office in the corner of the Grid, going straight to the desk to see what Adam had been talking about. Gingerly she sat in Harry's chair not bothering to put the lights on she carefully opened the drawer.
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Harry threw the car into neutral as he killed the engine. Thames House was rarely empty but in the early evening there was more than the usual handful of spaces to choose from. Parking the car he quickly made his way to the side entrance knowing that Ruth would still be on the Grid. He almost ran to the lift, hoping that he was right.
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"Oh Harry." Ruth smiled slightly as she saw the little box wrapped in lilac paper. The inoculous little box was the size of a child's pencil case and tied with a bow in a slightly darker purple. Part of her wanted to leave it as it was, the box too pretty to disturb. Another part wasn't so sedate. She bit her lip as she picked it up to reveal a white envelop with her name on. Smiling she opened the card first. The A5 card was simple - white with lavender flowers embossed on it. She opened it to see Harry's writing inside. Happy birthday, my love always. Harry x The message was simple but she knew it was from the heart. She placed the card on the desk as she felt warm hands on her shoulders.
"You couldn't wait five more minutes?"
Ruth spun in the chair and stood up to see Harry smiling at her.
"You didn't call."
"I wanted to come straight home." He saw her eyes soften as she rested her hands on his shoulders. His settled on her waist. "I thought you may need a lift home."
"I like the bus."
"Mule."
"Pedant."
"Happy birthday." Harry kissed her as she felt her knees weaken slightly. She hadn't realised how she had missed him so much. Harry broke the kiss. "Open your present."
Ruth smiled, opening the small box as instructed. The silver necklace laid on the purple lining of the box had one pendant on it. Ruth frowned slightly before picking it up. "Harry?"
"Read it."
She nodded before doing so. The small silver pendant had their initials engraved on it with one simple word on the back of the heart shaped pendant. "H&R. Forever." She smiled as he pulled her back into his arms.
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A/N just wanted to write something a bit less tense than Bad Girls. Will return to that soon. Please review.