Five times James Bond and Jane Moneypenny might have gotten together, but didn't.

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Inspired by events detailed in The Moneypenny Diaries: Guardian Angel. I don't own anything. Some dialogue (marked at the beginning and end with an asterisk) was taken from The Moneypenny Diaries.

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Friday, 9th March

*'Please, James, leave it to M. He wants Blofeld as much as you do,'* I told James. I couldn't bear it if he let his grief over Tracy's death and his desire for revenge engulf him again.

*'Penny, I love you,'* he said, looking into my eyes. I could feel my heart flutter. Calm down, I thought. You're seeing R. But it was to no avail. 'Come to dinner with me tonight, please.'

'All right,' I heard myself say, and he grinned for the first time since his wife's death.

'I'll meet you at Scott's at eight, all right?' he said, and I nodded. With a final kiss to my cheek, he left.

***

I rushed back to Ennismore Gardens as soon as M let me leave, and I dressed quickly in my Sybil Connolly dress and the Frank Cardone blue and pink mod shoes. I was running late, so I hopped into my Mini and drove to Scott's.

He was waiting for me at the table – the same table we'd shared when we celebrated his newly-issued license to kill. He'd ordered pink champagne and oysters, another echo of our 'first date'.

'You look lovely, Penny,' James said, standing as I approached him. As always, he looked incredibly dashing, and, to my relief, much better than he had during the past several months.

'Thank you, Commander,' I said lightly. He poured me a glass of the '48 Taittinger Rosé (the same champagne we'd drunk that first dinner together), and toasted me.

'To Penny, the light of the Office and my heart,' he said.

I wished that he wouldn't say things like that – he had no idea how much effort it cost me to be light-hearted. I smiled a bit uncomfortably – I didn't know how to respond – and shifted in my seat; he reached out and took my hand.

His hand was warm, large, and I could feel his hidden strength coursing through his skin. I looked into his eyes, the eyes that were a blue-grey like the sea, and was startled by the emotions I saw there.

'Penny, thank you for everything,' he murmured, raising my hand to his lips. 'You've no idea how invaluable your support has been during these past months.'

'I'm glad,' was all I could say. My heart was beating wildly, and I was sure that James could hear it.

'You're the most important person in my life,' he continued. 'And I never realised it until after Tracy died.' He choked a bit on his words, and while his eyes were sad, they no longer held the deep depression that was ever-present during the past few months. 'I do love you, Penny.'

I couldn't reply, couldn't move, as he brought his free hand up to my cheek. He leaned forward and I knew he was about to kiss me. And then he did.

It was everything I'd ever (guiltily) imagined – his lips were soft and talented and oh! he was a marvellous kisser (of course he'd had a lot of practise...)

We broke apart reluctantly when the waiter cleared his throat. I blushed but James just smiled at me. The waiter set down the plate of oysters and left.

James was still holding my hand and my blush deepened when I realised that. I tried to disengage my hand but he held fast.

'I know that we've flirted a lot, Penny, and while it may be meaningless to you, it's not to me.'

My breath caught in my throat.

'I came to this realisation after Tracy died. You've always been there for me, Penny, and I love you for that.'

'Only for that?' I heard myself say, and he chuckled, the sombre mood that surrounded us lightening.

'Not only for that, darling,' he said, still laughing quietly. 'Your intelligence, your loyalty to the Office, your passion, and, of course, your beauty.'

I blushed again and looked down; suddenly his fingers were beneath my chin, tilting it up so that I was looking into his eyes.

'I'm serious, Jane,' he said, and I smiled widely. He'd never called me by my first name before. 'Do... do you have anything to say in response, or are you just going to make me talk?'

I smiled slightly. 'Unlike your other... paramours, James, I'm still going to be around when this ends.'

'What if it doesn't end?' he replied, and yet again I couldn't breathe. 'I don't want this to end, Penny.'

'Nothing's happened yet,' I said.

'A kiss is nothing?' he asked me. 'Dinner is nothing?'

'It's nothing if nothing happens after tonight.'

'Then will you come to dinner tomorrow?' he asked, 'at my house? May can cook for us – she likes you, you know, even though you've only spoken over the phone.'

I smiled. 'I'd like that very, very much.'

'Good,' he replied, 'I'll swing by your desk at six tomorrow, then.'

'I can't wait,' I said truthfully.

'Nor can I,' he replied.

***

Four more parts to come.