AN: A SPECTRE AU fic that I originally posted as a one shot in my I did get one thing right series, but since then have decided to expand on it.

To those who have read and reviewed this chapter before, thank you. To new readers, I hope you enjoy.


Chapter 1

...

James entered his apartment, looking around at the bare walls and lack of furniture. The living room was cluttered with various boxes that he had yet to unpack; along with three paintings that were leaning against the wall next to the window and three stacks of books that were piled in front of them.

It had only been four weeks since he moved in, and yet anyone seeing the state of the place would think he had just recently moved in. Throwing his keys on the kitchen worktop, he grabbed a glass from the cupboard and poured himself a double whiskey.

He knew Mallory would have something to say about his little escapade in Mexico City, but he didn't care. He had his orders, even if they weren't from Mallory. He had taken care of Marco Sciarra and prevented a stadium from being blown up killing thousands of people. Yet, the only point Mallory had to bring up was the amount of damages he had caused in his wake.

Taking the glass, he walked over to his leather chair and sat down, slumping into it. Then there was Max Denbigh, or 'C' as he had nicknamed him. There was something about the man that caused Bond to question his motives of the new surveillance programme he had invented. Or it could be his resentment that he was trying to scrap the Double-0 division.

Whatever it was, he didn't like the man and from what he had heard from Tanner, it seemed Mallory wasn't keen on the man either.

Swirling the amber liquid in his glass, he stared at the china bulldog on his coffee table. He despised the figurine, but it was now of sentimental value. The events that occurred in Mexico were because of the last orders of the one woman who had meant everything to him. Mallory didn't need to know the full details as to why he was there. It would only lead to more questions that he would rather not answer.

He raised the glass in a small salute to the bulldog, before drinking the full contents of the glass in one swallow. He was about to stand up to get another when there was a knock on his door.

Looking at his watch, he noticed it had just gone 21:00 hours. Giving a smile, he stood up and placed the empty glass on the coffee table, and made his way to answer the door.

Turning the handle, he gave a charming smile at seeing Moneypenny, dressed in a black dress and blue coat, and in her hands was the box she had tried to give him earlier.

"I always seem to forget how punctual you can be," he walked away waiting for her to enter and close the door.

"So what is it you have for me?" James turned to face her as she held out the black box to him.

"Personal effects from Skyfall."

"Great, I'll look through it later," he placed the box on the table. "Drink?"

"No, thank you," Eve politely declined as she looked around the living room. "Just moved in?"

He gave a grin in response as he retook his seat in the brown leather chair. "You could say that?"

She stared at James, debating whether or not to ask him what had been on her mind since she saw the news reports. She was worried about him; he hadn't been the same since the events that happened at Skyfall.

Throwing caution to the wind, she asked him the simple question.

"What's going on, James? There's not one person at MI6 who isn't talking about it."

"Talking about what… exactly?"

She walked closer to him, "That what you did in Mexico was one step too far. That you're finished."

"What do you think?"

"I think you're just getting started. So, I'll ask you again, and I want the truth, this time, James. What were you doing in Mexico City?"

"I felt like a holiday. Why? What do you think I was doing?"

She didn't believe a word of it.

"I think, you've got a secret. Something you won't tell anyone because you don't trust anyone." Moneypenny looked down at him, seeing his grin vanish.

Giving a deep sigh, he reached out for the silver remote and pointed it to the TV, turning it on.

"Christ," Moneypenny muttered as she saw the old M on the screen before her voice filled the apartment.

"If anything happens to me 007, I need you to do something. Find a man called Marco Sciarra. Kill him. And don't miss the funeral."

Moneypenny was lost for words as she continued to stare at the screen, "She was prepared for everything, wasn't she?"

She tore her eyes away from the television and turned her attention back to James.

"Where did you get this?"

"I found it in my mailbox, shortly after her death," he muttered softly trying to keep his emotions at bay.

His eyes found the bulldog figurine causing him to give a fond smile. "She wasn't going to let death get in the way of her job."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I need your help," he looked up at her. "In Mexico, I heard Sciarra mention someone called 'the Pale King' I need you to look into it for me."

"And what are you going to do?" Eve inquired.

"My job, but for me to do that, I need you to keep this to yourself. No one can know."

"You want me to be your mole? You do realise if Mallory catches me going behind his back I could lose my job?"

"Then let's hope he doesn't find out," James stated knowingly. "If I didn't think you could do it, Moneypenny I wouldn't have asked you."

"What makes you think you can trust me?"

"Instinct."

"All right, but I can't promise anything," Eve warned him as she turned to leave. "I can see myself out."

Bond watched her leave, the door slamming behind her. Standing up, he walked over to the window and looked down to the street below. He didn't have long to wait before he saw Moneypenny cross the road and walk down the street before disappearing from view.

"She's right. You are putting her career on the line, James."

He gave a smile, at hearing the one voice he would never tire of hearing.

"How much did you hear?"

"Enough. I still can't believe you kept a copy of that video."

"I kept it in case I needed someone else to see it."

"Are you sure you can trust her, James?" She inquired, unsure of this new plan.

The video was meant for his eyes only should she not survive Silva's attacks. Yet, here he was sharing it with Mallory's secretary of all people.

"I'm sure," he declared with confidence as he turned around to see Olivia standing in the middle of the room still half asleep, and dressed in her silver silk bed robe.

"Very well, I'll trust your judgement on the matter. Now tell me; how did your meeting with Mallory go?" She questioned as she walked over to the couch and sat down.

"The usual. He wanted to know what I was doing in Mexico City."

"And what did you tell him?"

"That I was taking an overdue holiday, and it was just a coincidence that I was there."

Olivia gave him an unamused look. "I saw the headlines on the news, James. When I told you to kill Sciarra, I didn't mean demolish most of Mexico City while doing it. I bet Mallory, took that news well."

"If you mean well as in the fact he has grounded me, then I think it went great," he told her sarcastically. "He also got a lovely visit from our friend 'C' today."

"What is that cocky little shit up to now?"

"He is going ahead with this new surveillance programme. He told me, and I quote 'It's time we bring Intelligence services from the dark ages and into the light.' Apparently he feels that the Double-0 section is now outdated."

"Outdated! So not only has he sealed the deal to demolish MI6! He wants to scrap the Double-0 programme! I guess my speech at the inquiry all those months ago fell on deaf ears!"

"Or it worked a little too well."

Olivia shot him an unimpressed look, "Anything else I should know?"

"I have to meet with Q tomorrow for an examination. Mallory's orders."

"Yes, and we know how well those go?" Olivia stated. "How many times did I have you tracked, only for you to disappear off the bloody radar?"

"Okay, the first time wasn't my fault, the second time you were losing your trust in my ability to do my job, so much, that that there was a capture and kill order out on me by the bloody CIA. Of course, I was going to go off the radar. And the third…"

"The third time I thought you were dead."

Olivia tried to hold back the memory of the events that lead up to his apparent death in Turkey. It was only when he reappeared in her home three months later, unshaven and In desperate need of a shower that her heart had started to mend after his apparent death.

She wanted to remain angry with him for having put her through three months of hell, but the relief of seeing him alive overruled every other emotion she felt. He gave her the strength to go on with the job despite everything that happened with Silva. She was lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear James sit down next to her.

He had told her countless times that she was just doing her job, but she still blamed herself even after all these months. At the time, he had been angry that she had given Moneypenny the order to take the shot when he could have handled the situation without Olivia's interference. It was when he saw the news report detailing the terrorist attack on MI6 that all the anger and resentment he had felt towards her vanished and was replaced with fear and self-loathing that he hadn't been there to protect her.

Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he gently pulled her close to his chest causing her head to rest against his shoulder.

"I never blamed you, Olivia. You were just doing your job," he whispered.

"A job that caused the death of countless agents who were following my orders."

"Yes, and you followed my orders to go to Skyfall without backup, and it nearly cost you, your life."

She knew too well that she had nearly died. She could still feel a phantom pain in her hip where the shrapnel had pierced through her skin. As she lay in James' arms, she didn't think she had the strength to go on. She would have given up then and there if it weren't for James' plea for her not to leave him.

The darkness was beckoning her home, as she faintly heard, James tell her he loved her. She thought she had imagined it. But as she woke up in a private hospital room in Scotland, she noticed James asleep in the chair next to her bed as he held her hand in his.

Her feelings for James had always been there, but she had suppressed them for the sake of the job. But, now she could finally give into what her heart had wanted for the past four years. A life with James, without her job, interfering, and it seemed she had finally got her wish.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Us, and how I have a second chance at life, all thanks to you," she leaned out of his embrace and looked up at him. "You gave me something worth living for, James. My only fear is that you will regret our relationship a few years down the line."

"I meant every word I said to you that day, Olivia. I wasn't going to let you go then, and I'm certainly not going to let you go now. I love you too damn much to let that happen."

"Is that why you faked my death? So you could have me all to yourself?" She raised an eyebrow waiting for his answer.

"Partly, but it's too dangerous to let anyone know you are alive, Olivia. Whoever, Silva and Sciarra were working for, they are still out there. It's better for them to think that you are dead, that way I know you are safe," he reached up and cupped her face with his hand, caressing her soft skin.

"They will find out sooner or later, James. It's only a matter of time," Olivia told him quietly as he leaned in closer, his face a few inches from hers.

"Not if I find them first," he punctuated his statement with a soft kiss on her lips, as his other arm slipped around her body pulling her in close.

Reaching up, she slipped one arm around his neck and eagerly returned his kiss. He had only been gone three days and yet she had missed this.

The feel of his arms around her gave her a sense of security and love. While she didn't need to be protected, she had to admit it felt nice having someone wanting to protect her for a change.

When she felt him pull his head back, she gazed into his cerulean eyes, seeing the need and lust but also love reflected back at her.

"Don't ever doubt my feelings for you, Olivia. I want you to remember that."

"I'll remember," she softly promised him.

He gave her a loving smile and placed another kiss to her lips, before turning to the box on the table.

"You should open it, James." Olivia encouraged.

"Part of me doesn't want to. Whatever it is, it can stay in the past."

Olivia leaned forwards and grabbed the box from the table and held it out to him. "Trust me, James. The past doesn't stay buried for long, no matter how much we want it to. I thought my actions with, Silva taught you that."

Taking the box from her, he sat it on his lap and ripped off the tape. Upon opening the box, he noticed the contents were charred and burnt caused by the fire.

Taking the top document he opened it, noticing it was his adoption certificate. Frowning slightly, he turned his attention to the charred envelope.

"Hold this for me," he held out the adoption certificate for Olivia to take allowing him to open the envelope.

Once opened, he pulled out the folded photograph within, and slowly opened it. His face paled at the familiar picture of himself standing next to the man that he had considered a second father after his own had been killed in the skiing accident.

James noticed the fire had destroyed the top right hand of the photo erasing the face of the other boy with them, but he knew who he was without identifying the face.

He had died, just like the man in between the both of them. Even when he was younger, it seemed that death clung to him like a disease. Everyone who got close to him would leave in the end.

He felt Olivia's soft touch on his arm, her presence giving him some comfort that she was still here with him.

"What are you thinking, James?"

"It's nothing. Just old memories," he put the photograph back in the box.

"Tell me," she replied softly.

He took the adoption certificate from her hands and placed it on top of the photo and closed the lid.

"There is nothing to tell, Olivia. I'm surprised there was anything remotely salvageable from Skyfall."

"Perhaps, it's someone sending you a message," she suggested, watching as he placed the box back on the coffee table.

"If it is, it wasn't the only one," he reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out the silver ring, engraved with an octopus insignia he had taken from Sciarra.

"Where did you get this?" Olivia asked taking the ring from him to inspect it.

"Our little friend in Mexico City," James stated, watching as her fingers traced over the octopus lost in thought.

"Have you seen it before?"

"No." she hands it back to him. "but I have a feeling we will no doubt be finding out who it belongs to soon enough."

"What makes you say that?" James asked curiously.

"Before, Silva's attack on my life, I was looking into a series of attacks that were happening around the world. One in Hamburg, and one in Tangier. The same face kept appearing in the areas that were hit… "

"Marco Sciarra," he concluded.

"Yes." Olivia gave a nod. "I was tracking his movements for some time; and then I had to stop due to the hard drive incident with, Patrice."

"Do you think the stolen hard drive was a diversion?"

"I don't know, James," she stated lost in thought. "Silva's attack happened soon after it. There's a possibility the events surrounding Patrice and Silva are linked to Sciarra."

"What makes you so sure?"

"These messages, James. They were intended for you. Not me. You obtained the ring and then you receive personal effects from Skyfall. You said yourself you were surprised anything survived. What makes you so sure these are the original?'

"You think they're forgeries?"

"I'm not ruling out the possibility, and you shouldn't either. Anyone with access to personal records can obtain the information and make a copy."

"That doesn't explain the photo, Olivia."

She didn't have an answer for him. She knew photos could be copied, but the person would need the original for them do it.

"Who was the other person in the picture?"

"It doesn't matter. They're both dead."

"Then I'm afraid I don't have the answers for you, James. I can't help but feel these are linked to you. Whatever this organisation is that all three men worked for, they somehow knew I would send you to finish what I had started. Who had the box, before Moneypenny acquired it?"

"Forensics. Could it be someone we have overlooked in the government?"

"I don't know," she looked to the black box. "But whoever it is wanted to make sure that these two items survived the blast."

"For what reason?" James looked towards her.

"That, you will need to work out on your own. Just promise me that you will tread carefully in Rome. That's all I ask."

He reached out a hand and gently turned her head, so she was looking at him. "I promise," he told her softly.

It was all she needed to hear as James leaned in and placed a tender kiss to her lips sealing their deal.

Olivia had no idea what awaited James, in Rome, but she couldn't shake the feeling that a storm was coming, and James would be the center of it. She just prayed that whatever was waiting for him, he would make it out alive.