Title: Melt into You

Fandom: Spooks

Character/Pairing: Harry Pearce and Ruth Evershed

Rating: K

Word Count: 1980

Authors Notes/Disclaimer: We're going a bit back in time now to before Harry and Ruth got married in my little AU world. This takes place in episode 5.4 but I think mine is just a bit better than how things really went. Oh and this just went slightly M rated. I've never written anything like this and shared it with anyone so I'll be hiding behind the couch with my crocheting. Please review.

Ruth sat at the screen watching Harry sit at the bar drinking. He looked so alone and she knew that if she was just to pick up the phone and call him, she might be able to coax a small smile onto his face. She'd get a bigger smile if she asked if he would mind terribly if she joined him. Her hand was on the phone, it was in her hand and she started to dial the number before she realized what she was doing. With a sigh, she put the phone down and turned off the monitor. She wasn't the only one watching the screens and she'd turned him down for a second date just the week before because of the fear of gossip; if she joined him the gossip would be ten times worse than it already had been. Picking up the cardigan from the back of her chair, she made her way out of the ops center, determined to find a way to make it up to him.

Looking at the drink in his hand, Harry swished the whiskey around his glass. He was in no way ready to face the ire that was more than likely awaiting him in his; no their; hotel suite. He'd lied to Ruth when he promised that he'd arranged a separate room for her. Taking a sip of the burning liquid he thought back. No, he hadn't lied per say. He had tried to arrange for a room for Ruth, he really had. But rooms were already scarce before he'd approached the front desk about getting a room for her. The team was already sharing as it was; Adam and Zafar in one room, Jo and Ros in another. As section head, he'd gotten his own room but there'd been no other rooms available. In the end, he'd had no choice but to settle her into his own room. Thank God for small miracles that there were two beds. Though if truth be told, he'd be more than happy to share a bed with her but somehow he rather thought that might make the situation even worse.

With a sigh, he threw back the rest of the whiskey in his glass and stood. It was time to face the music. Slowly making his way through the hotel, he wondered exactly how angry she'd when he got to the room. As he reached the door, he heard ungodly music coming from the suite at the end of the hall. Cringing, he slid his key into the lock and watched as the light turned green. It sounded like it was going to be a long night.

The sitting area was dark when he entered. Placing his key card on the small table in the entry way, he looked around for any sign that Ruth was there. Not finding any, he ran a hand over his face. As much as he was dreading facing her wrath, he was more worried that she had packed it in and headed back to London after finding out that he'd lied. Or maybe decided that it'd be better if she slept in the ops room. With another sigh, he kicked off his shoes and padded across the dark room towards the bedroom in his stocking feet. Ruth was a highly intelligent woman, as much as he wanted to run off and find her, ensure that she was alright, she'd be even more furious with him for doing so. Shrugging off his suit jacket, he tossed it across a chair at the foot of a bed before undoing his cufflinks. Setting them on the dresser, he turned and stopped. His bag was still sitting on the bed where he'd left it; that's not what stopped him. It was the sight of the other bag sitting open next to it.

That wasn't his. Taking a step closer he saw a familiar cardigan resting across the top and a smile lit across his face. No, that was definitely Ruth's bag that was currently sitting open, next to his. On the bed. She was still here. And what's more, he knew she had been wearing the cardigan when he'd last seen her in the ops center. Reaching out a hand, he slowly moved his fingers across the fabric wondering just where she'd gotten off too.

The sound of a soft moan got his attention and he turned towards the small hall behind him. Why hadn't he noticed the soft glow of light before? It wasn't as though he was drunk and in his line of work, not noticing something as significant as a light on where it hadn't been before could mean the difference between life and death. Another moan reached his ears followed by the unmistakable sound of a shower running and he took a step forward towards the open bathroom door, readying himself to call out and make sure she was alright. The sight that greeted him stopped him short; both in breath and movement. Closing his eyes; fearful that he'd finally lost what little sense he had left; he opened them again only to be greeted by the same sight.

Behind a flimsy, almost translucent shower curtain Ruth stood naked; her eyes closed and head tilted back in the spray of water currently cascading down. Her hands ran across her skin, a trail of soap being left by the loofah that she clutched in one hand. As the coarse material crossed the tender skin of her breasts she moaned again, a low sound from deep in her throat. He watched as her nipple hardened and the loofah moved lower, moving across her stomach and infinitely lower. His breath caught in his throat as the loofah and her hand disappeared between her legs, a louder moan than before leaving her lips and what he swore was the whispered sigh of his name. As she moved her hand back and forth slowly, his eyes moved back up her body, watching in amazement as the woman he loves pleasured herself in his shower and he wondered fleetingly if perhaps he had died and found there really was a heaven. Finally, his eyes reached her face and he noticed for the first time that her skin was a crimson; reminiscent of when she gets nervous on the Grid; and that her eyes were open and watching him with a mix of fear, lust and love.

"Harry" she breathed again; the uncertainty evident in her voice; and he's now sure that it was his name she sighed earlier.

Never taking his eyes from hers he stepped further into the room, his hands yanking at the tie around his neck. He'd barely dropped the tie to the floor before he pushed aside the curtain and stepped into the shower fully clothed, his hands reaching out for her as he moved into the stream of water.

"Ruth" was all he got out before his mouth was on hers, hot and tender at the same time. As if he had all the time in the world, his lips caressed hers, his tongue sliding against them begging for entrance. She parted her lips on a sigh, her fingers clutching his cloth covered shoulders, pulling herself closer to him.

His hands rested against her naked hips, holding her flush against him as he carefully walked her the few inches backwards until her back rested against the tiled wall. He felt her hands slide between them as her fingers worked at the buttons of his shirt. With his thumbs tracing slow patterns against the flesh of her hip bone, he slowly dragged his mouth from hers and kissed under her ear. As she pulled his shirt from his trousers, he whispered against her ear. "Ruth are you sure? Because as much as I want to make love to you, if you're not one hundred percent sure, we don't have to go any further tonight."

With that said, he leaned forward and nipped the lobe of her ear before leaning back slightly to look into her eyes.

Ruth met his desire filled eyes and saw that as much as he wanted her right now, if she said no, he'd back up and stop. Shaking her head, she reached for him again. "I'm sure Har..." her response was cut short as she shrieked and curled herself into his chest, burying her arms between them and her face against his heart as cold water poured over them.

Harry laughed as he let his head fall against hers. Trust the hot water to give out just as she was about to say yes to something he had only dreamed of happening; leaving them in the world's worst timed cold shower. Kissing the top of her hair, he wrapped an arm tightly around her while reaching out with his other to turn the water off. Lifting her head from where it was currently resting against his chest, he lightly kissed her lips before he pulled back and smiled at her. "What brought this on." he asked quietly.

She blushed slightly, a bit embarrassed by all that had just occurred but positively thrilled to be wrapped up in his arms. " I was...You looked...that is I was...and you were drinking...and I was watching the screens...you looked so alone...and I realized I'm alone and we don't have to be alone...and I picked up the phone but I couldn't dial it...and well..." she managed to stumble out, her blush growing, she buried her face back into his chest as she realized that she had made absolutely no sense and was making a mess of things.

Harry shook his head as he looked down at her, amazed that he'd somehow understood what she was trying to say. Wrapping his arms around her tighter, he kissed her forehead. "Ruth?"

She heard the question in his voice but couldn't meet his eyes. Shaking her head, she listened to his heart beating softly against her cheek.

"Ruth." he tried again. This time he was greeted to her upturned face the color of beetroot.

"I'm so sorry, I've gone and made a mess of things again haven't I?"

"No, I think you've made things right." he answered. Slowly rubbing a hand against her back, he got a thoughtful look on his face as he realized this is what he'd been waiting for most of his life.

"Harry?" she asked, her voice soft as she studied his thoughtful look upon his face.

"Hmmm."

"What are you thinking?"

"That I'm going to marry you."

"What?" She squeaked, pulling back to look at him.

He met her eyes, fully serious as he let the smile move across his face again.

"Marry me."

Somehow he'd managed to shock her out of her nervousness and she just stared at him. "But we've only been on the one date and I was so nervous I said all the wrong things. Told you we couldn't have our second date because everyone was talking about us. And they still are and things haven't been good between us and you've had all these wonderfully beautiful woman in your life and I'm just your mousy analyst who..."

Leaning down, he silenced her with a kiss, feeling as scared as she was. Pulling back slightly, he let his forehead rest against hers. Watching her eyes, he kissed her a second time before continuing. "None of that matters. What matters is I want to marry you; and only you; Ruth Evershed and bugger what anyone else thinks."

"You're dead serious, aren't you?"

"Yes I am, so will you or won't you?"

Blushing furiously red, she bit her lower lip before she nodded slowly. "Yes, on one condition."

He looked down at her, a huge smile spreading across his face. "Anything."

"You never tell a living soul exactly how you proposed. Not. One. Person."