Continues after the story The Invisible Man part four of the Care to Explain series. Rated M for content.

- Care-to-Explain

- Care-to-Explain-2

- The-Invisible-Man

Care to Explain 4: The Proposal

For the purposes of this story the year is 2010, M is 65 and Bond is 42.

Chapter 1

Bond slipped out of bed early. M rolls over and continues to sleep and Bond smiles.

For once in his life he feels joy...not for the path that led him to this...not the shootings...injuries...alcohol, abduction and her physical assault at the hands of a mad-man but for the path that is their future together.

Bond dresses for his jog and heads out. The morning air clears his head and after a while he pauses to catch his breath. It is going to take a lot to get his aging body back into some semblance of the shape it was once in.

Bond takes his mobile and dials.

"Tanner...did you call her children? When you do, could you give them my number and have them call me...why? Can you keep a secret? Silly question...well, not really. I know how she works and M could get a silent monk to talk his way out of his vows. Speaking of vows...that is the reason for this call….yes...calm down... I am thinking of taking her to Scotland on Friday and I am going to ask her there...I want to tell Judi and Ryan first...and another thing...do you think you could stand with me?"

By the exuberance of Tanner's reply Bond assumes yes.

Bond dials another number.

"Old man? I was wondering if they told you that I had died? Well it wasn't true. I will be coming home...this weekend. I know it is short notice but could you get the old place cleaned up and full of supplies. Yes...I will deal with the lawyers when I get there. Could you set up a meeting with them on the weekend for me? Oh...and do you have my mother's jewels? Well I am bringing the next lady of the manor home with me and I would like to ask her when I get there, as a surprise, but I need a ring. Thank you for all this Kincade...and thanks for watching over the old pile of stones for me all these years."

Bond returns home to find her dressed in a black power suit and ready for a day at the office.

"What do you think you are doing young lady...I thought you were going to give it more time before you head back to work?"

Bond wraps her in a quick hug and then looks her up and down. "You smell good enough to eat."

"Thank you...you don't."

Bond opens her suit jacket and begins unbuttoning her blouse, M stops his hands. James pouts attractively...but she is having none of it.

"James...you need a shower and I need to wear something other than a dressing gown. I am feeling fine...you know that...I haven't even had any nightmares and there have been no further threats."

Bond smirks at her...he has not let her out of the house for three days...she has barely made it out of the bedroom and any attempt of hers to wear clothing has been challenged by him at every moment.

That is not to say that M has not enjoyed every aspect of her lovers attention. Now she needs to get back to work before Mallory does something substantial enough to get her job out from under her.

"I will shower and join you in a few...I have some news."

"Well...I have some news too. I had a call from each of my children...panicked. I guess in all the drama of my abduction no one remembered to call them."

"Don't be too hard on Tanner M...he was beside himself with finding you...we all were."

"Marshall called them about the explosion and my disappearance. I called Marshall and I have a lunch date with him today."

"M...I don't have an issue...but could you please not refer to it as a date...I cannot deal with the implications of you meeting a former lover...for a date."

M wraps him in a hug crinkling her nose at the smell of sweat from his run.

"James it is cute that you are jealous over a woman as old as I am."

"You are not old...you defy age like you do everything in your life M. So where are we going for lunch?"

M frowns. "Who says you are invited?"

"I am your official bodyguard my love...so I am going too...I need to keep track of where Marshall's hands are at all times."

"James...you act as though you cannot trust me."

"Oh I trust you implicitly M...Marshall Mansfield on the other hand...not so much."

M laughs and pushes him towards the stairs.

Bond walks up the stairs for his shower. His mobile rings...Judi is calling.

Bond speaks with her in the bath a quietly as possible.

"Hi Judi...Tanner gave you the message...yes I was out on my run. She told me you called...yes well the reason I was calling was to ask your permission for something...you and Ryan. Yes...I want your permission to ask your mother to marry me."

There is screaming on the other end...Bond holds the mobile to avoid becoming deaf.

"So you are excited about it? Yes...could you...could you ask your brother to call me? Yes thanks...please keep this quiet Judi. I look forward to see you again soon...to help make plans. We will need to get together soon...I am taking your mother to Scotland this weekend...for the rest of her vacation time...we could stop on the way...ok...bye Judi."

Bond takes a quick shower and changes into a suit for the day. He might as well look like he is going to work.

M will likely insist on dropping into the bunker...just to keep them all on their toes...and to make sure Mallory hasn't messed with any of the furniture.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Marshall wraps Olivia in a hug as soon as he sees her...kissing her cheek and whispering into her hair as he holds on to her for a tremendous amount of time...from Bond's point of view.

Bond extends his hand to the older gentleman and smiles. The three of them enjoy lunch, all the while M diverts his questions about her captivity away from actual events.

Bond frowns at this but it could just be due to the fact they are in a public place and who wants to blurt out that they were held...sexually assaulted by a mad man at a restaurant.

M excuses herself for the ladies and Marshall leans over to Bond.

"What is she not telling me about the abduction Bond?"

"I cannot tell you that Marshall...it is up to her and not the conversation for here and now but I do have a question for you."

"Yes."

"I am going to ask M to marry me and I was hoping you would be alright with that. I have asked both the children and they are fine with it but I would really like your blessing also."

Marshall smirks…"so I get a say...former brother-in-law and lover?"

"Bond straightens his tie, "well...in so much as I think she would like you at the wedding and I do respect your position as elder male of the family and relationship with M."

"Don't blow a gasket Bond...of course I am happy for both of you...and jealous as hell. I proposed to her last...she left me hanging. Deep down she knew you were still out there somewhere...hell so did I. So glad Judi and Ryan are fine with it but do you think she will say yes?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well she and I had several discussions about you over the months you were gone...she feels that there would be a lot of public disbelief in your relationship and that work would not condone it...how are you going to get around that and her stubborn nature."

"I was thinking I would let her handle it and or one of us will retire."

Marshall looks shocked as M comes back to the table.

"What have you to been discussing while I was gone?"

"Our trip North to see your children and then off to Scotland for a couple of weeks."

"James...really...you should have mentioned this sooner. I told Tanner and Eve that I was considering coming back to work next week. I thought you had gone off the idea of going to Scotland?"

"Just because I hadn't mentioned it in a few days did not mean I wasn't making plans behind your back. Besides M...you can't be serious. The doctor recommended a month...Mallo...you know who thinks you are out for a month. I knew we were likely dropping in there after lunch so I assumed you would visit medical and then check up on the lot of them. I did not expect you to push yourself."

"James…I do hate the idea of you making plans behind my back."

"Olivia...why do you need to see medical...what happened to you that they recommended a month recovery time?"

"Marshall…" M palms her face. "You two will be my undoing...I am not use to having every move and motive questioned in such a manner."

Marshall smile, "James and I are not my dear brother, Nigel and we don't know any better my dear. So out with it...what happened?"

M looks into her lap and says only two words. "The worst…"

Marshall's eyes narrow as Olivia's statement sinks in and he looks at Bond. "Where the christ were you when….the worst was happening?"

Bond blanches at the sudden attack looking horrified and guilty. M reaches out and takes his hand in her's.

"Marshall...they did what they could to find me and James neutralized the threat...please don't...I do not wish to discuss this further."

Marshall tosses his serviette onto his plate still angry for what has happened.

"I apologize Bond...Olivia, I wish there were anyway that I could have helped prevent this."

M patted his hand, "I know you would...we all do. Marshall...when you called my children...what details did you give them?"

"About our relationship...nothing. As far as those two know...you and I enjoyed a few meals and they thanked me for looking after you in your time of grief over this awol soldier."

M smiles. "I am sorry for seeming...I don't know...uncomfortable with them knowing we...did what we did."

"I will try not to take offence Olivia...but you will be facing scrutiny of a different kind over this one here."

"Hey...what is wrong with me?"

M laughs, "nothing accept you will be laughed at if anyone ever found out about us...other than whoever already knows."

Bond frowns...this proposal and engagement may have just hit a major snag.

What is the bridegroom to do when the bride does not want to admit that she is one?

To be continued….