A/N: New Fic Woo! You may notice that the latter part of this chapter is very similiar to one of the chapter's in my previous fic "You Were Always Forgiven!" Just thought I'd let you know that if you recognised it, it was previously mine to use :P

"There's nothing more we can do for him," the doctor addressed her calmly. It was his job to deliver the bad news to anxious family and friends as they paced up and down the corridors drinking cups of coffee from the cheap vending machine in the waiting area. This was his job, he was not personally tied to the patient, and he will not become personally tied with the family sitting in front of him. "I will leave you for a few moments so I can find his personal file and we'll discuss all the necessary procedures."

The doctor took one final look at the two women sitting in front of him before rising slowly, offering a sympathetic nod of his head in their direction as he left.

"They'll want to switch off his life support machine." Catherine drew a shaky breath as she dared contemplate the fate that awaited her father as he lay lifeless and machine bound in the room next door.

"It's not over yet," Ruth whispered. She knew she was clinging on to false hope that the man she had dared to love from afar for several years was able to perform such a miracle that he could defy all the odds and recover from the coma the doctors knew he would never awake from. She knew this was impossible, but this was Harry they were talking about, and Harry was a fighter.

"You just heard what the doctor said, there's nothing they can do for him!" Catherine cried hysterically, adamantly refusing Ruth's attempts to draw her into a hug. Catherine rose to her feet and turned to face the older woman, anger and frustration flashing across her features. "Of course it's over, he's about to die! One of us has to be realistic."

Catherine stormed out the room without saying another word, the slam of the door enough to make Ruth succumb to the tears that had threatened to fall. Heartache seemed to like her.

Three Weeks Ago

As Ruth approached Harry's office he emerged, looking mildly panicked and heading towards the pods. The look of confusion on her face must have shown as he justified his actions immediately.

"I'm going down there now..."

"No, no, no to do what?" Her face suddenly turned to panic and her voice began to tremble.

"To speak to whoever is pretending to be in charge"

"Harry, there's not enough time," Ruth was becoming more urgent in trying to persuade Harry to stay. He was only putting himself in the direct line of danger and she had already lost him several times before. It wasn't going to happen again. "You won't be able to achieve anything."

Harry was too engrossed with his mobile phone to note the look of terror evident on Ruth's face. He carried on regardless of her pleading.

"Get me the met commander on the ground."

"I've just spoken to him, it's chaos down there, nobody seems to know who's in charge, the, the Americans are, are talking about a security incident and they're clearing the lobby!"

Harry tore his eyes away from his mobile to face Ruth. Only then did the look of unease on his face become apparent to her.

"The British home secretary and the Pakistani president are still inside that building and we can't actually move in and get them out?

He searched her eyes desperately for an answer. The Americans were making life difficult, his most reliant officers were in immediate danger and he knew if he didn't act fast there would be serious consequences that could lead to an all out nuclear war. Tariq's sudden outburst didn't help ease Harry's edginess.

"I can't get hold of either Lucas or Ros"

He looked at Ruth again before making his decision.

"Get me a car now," he ordered as he turned his back and made his way into the pods.

"Harry," Ruth said forcefully, the look of worry suddenly emerging again.

Harry turned round to face her briefly before turning on his heel and marching through the pods.

More to come! You know what to do ;)