This is for the 5th anniversary of M's death at SKYFALL.

Some of us like to pretend that she's still alive ;)

Emma opened the door to reveal an old familiar face in a navy trench coat, sunglasses and a long red wig. One woman with whom she shared a secret past and she really had never expected to see again.

"Well, well this must be a really bad day, for you to be turning up at my door. Oh and do I even need to ask why you would even know where I live Olivia...or should I still call you M?"

"Would you just let me in?" M said rolling her eyes.

"Only if you ask nicely." The gray haired woman said, crossing her arms and blocking the entrance of her small cottage.

M knew looks were deceiving with this one. Emma Peel had always excelled at hand to hand combat and even old, she could still be dangerous.

"Oh alright! Please."

"Oh and take that bloody awful wig off your head!" Emma said as she turned away suddenly and walked into the cottage followed quickly by M. She took off her trench coat to reveal a professional looking white blouse and tailored trousers with a low heeled boot.

Emma on the other hand was wearing a green tunic with brown tights with pink and orange fuzzy slippers. Her now grey shoulder length bob tied back with a brown band. Her look was definitely still stuck in the sixties but that was more than just part of her identity.

"Demanding aren't we?" M said following Emma into the house.

"I know; that is usually your thing not mine." Emma said, turning back towards her with a smirk as they walked past the sitting room to the kitchen. Emma put the kettle on as M placed her wig on the counter and ran her fingers through her short crop of white hair.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"In case you haven't heard...I died."

"I know that's why I was asking. Why are you here? Why not an island somewhere warm?"

M frowned. "I would be, if things had been different. If things had gone completely according to plan."

"Yes...well. You always were the one for plans and more plans. Sorry I didn't make it to your funeral but then again neither did you. I knew you weren't really dead. I didn't necessarily expect you to show up on my doorstep two months later either. I thought that eventually you would call to say hello and check up on me with a new name and address."

"I would have and besides what are you still doing here in England Emma or should I still call you Mrs. Peel? Why didn't you run off to the islands after you stopped your secret side job? As the daughter of a famed industrialist, you've alway had more money than I, considering you were born with it."

"My investments failed to move with the times as they should have. Much like my attire. I had too many homes in too many places and an exorbitant amount of taxes to pay. I sold everything off and I'm completely comfortable here."

Emma Peel's home was a large home with at least four bedrooms, modern inside but with a heavy sixties influence. The out building of a large garage no doubt would contain things that would surprise the neighbours if there were any close enough to notice. There was a lovely large garden and undoubtedly it was a large piece of land. It would not surprise M to find she had servants somewhere too.

"Even more reason to flee to the Cayman Islands I hear."

"You know I couldn't leave this country...just like you. It flows in and out of our damn hearts like the tides of the Thames have always given life to London."

"There were too many people in London who could have recognised you over the years. Weren't you worried?"

"Not really and I didn't make the enemies you did. The most helpful thing about dropping out of somewhere is that everyone, enemies and all tend to remember you the way you were and do not take the aging process into consideration."

"But I was already old and my biggest enemies were from within the government...up until now."

"I know. Now that I've aged I manage to sneak in. It's not a difficult disguise, everyone ignores or underestimates old women."

"Yes, I suppose with the wig I could still…"

"No; not you darling. Not yet anyway. Not with all the cameras and the facial recognitions software out there. You need to relax and relearn how to carry yourself if you want to be properly inconspicuous. It's no wonder you were never an agent M, you've walked like a bloody boss since we were in school."

Emma made the tea and the two of them sat in silence for a time and just drank. "I'm no longer M, Emma."

"No I guess I should start calling you Olivia again."

"Yes, that will take some getting use too."

"At least you can still call me Em."

Olivia smirked and gave a small chuckle. "What do I do now Em?"

"Well if you've got luggage in the boot of that car, you can stay here as long as you like. Acclimation with normal life will take a while but I can help you."

"Are you sure?"

"Would you really be here if you thought I would say no?"

Olivia smiled. "No. But I don't want to overstay my welcome."

"You won't. I am fairly reclusive. Although, I do keep up with my experiments and hobbies and you are more than welcome to assist. When I need human interaction I go into the town library or community centre. I swim once a week and keep busy. Honestly talking with you will be far more interesting than my life has been the past few years. I have a feeling that it may take a lot for you to adjust to retirement and let's face it I could use a new project. It might as well be you."

"Thank you, I think?"

"A few day here and I will go over all you have to know about being a typical retired, old lady. Then I will take you into town to test you. Within a fortnight I will have you so unrecognisable that you could walk right up to the entrance of MI6 and be asked for identification."

"Good thing I drove here in a car. I can imagine by the lack of one in you lane, that you don't have a car or do you still have that old Triumph with a sidecar? Nothing says inconspicuous like two women over 60 on a motorcycle."

"I have a 65 jaguar still."

"British racing green?"

"Yes, you remember it and I do still have the silver Triumph. The classics never go out of style."

"Those are not at all inconspicuous." Olivia said rolling her eyes and then sighing in remorse...remembering...

"Are you going to tell me what happened? All I saw on the telly was explosions and terrorist attack but I know you were at the centre of it. And now you're here and pushed out on your ass, if I'm not mistaken." The look Emma gives her over her tea cup is as clear as the smirk on her face.

"You don't have to gloat."

"No; and I'm sorry but I told you when we spoke last that the shift was coming. I studied the patterns. Those who hired you may have though it revolutionary and they were self congratulatory when you did the job well. They patted themselves on the back for having the foresight of hiring you in the 90's but you were not adapting to the new guard and willing to be controlled. That is why you stand before me in my kitchen sipping tea."

"I fought bloody hard to stay there and was the longest serving M!"

"I know you were and I'm very glad for it. As they should be but the times seem to be too retrospective of late and that is worrisome. Too much looking backwards. The lure of the good old days where women like us knew our place because our mothers taught us…"

"You and I didn't have mothers around long."

"No but they learned their history lessons well with Elizabeth and Victoria. The reigns of women, were always a boon for this Island."

"I've seen the change during my time as a section head and in my early days as an analyst. The only difference from our day is that women do and should bloody well expect a place at the table, not that is has gotten all that much easier. We now expect more and that is what angers the establishment the most. Remember what it was like?"

"I took martial arts for a reason dear. I broke many a finger of anyone who thought they could touch what they could not. Having to use the title Mrs. as a defence mechanism, was all we could do for the most part. They blister at the fact that they are being restricted from things that they just took or thought they were entitled to before, without cause for sensor or concern."

"You did have the ability to knock heads. I hid behind my numbers and then the letter M but by then I had reached middle age. I find that age became the best protection of all."

"They still think that they have complete control. I've always been under the impression that control is and always has been an illusion that we shroud ourselves in for protection. There is no real power unless given by enough individuals to protect it. A pack mentality in the office is not different than animals in the wild. The illusion is never more shattered than when nature rises up to crush us with it's power whenever it wants to."

"Emma when did we become so philosophical?"

"Reflection. It's what we do when we get old Olivia. What really happened?"

"I can't...not now. I will...it's just...well you understand."

"Yes I do. Better than anyone else could and that is exactly why you came. I can be patient and I see that you've been at least trying to blend in with that wig and somewhat casual clothes."

"I feel naked not in a suit."

"I can imagine. I had a hard time not wandering about in too much leather...I mean what were we thinking back then."

"I have know idea what you were thinking. As an agent, always rushing about but I suppose that outfit you loved suited your purpose as much as my suits gave me an illusional sense of power."

"Dress for the job you want. We both did." Emma laughed and M, now just Olivia did too.

"It feels good just to laugh and not really worry about a call. In fact I don't even have a mobile. I will have to get one."

"Yes and pretend like you've no idea how to use one. I have a few burners I keep. I will give you one...although…"

"I know...I know. It's not like I can call anyone but you."

"Well that is best for now but I assume whomever helped you pull this off will try to call you eventually."

"Not for a year. I agreed to that just to keep my family safe."

"I never understood why you had children."

"I always wanted to be a mother. I was just never very good at it."

"I couldn't have even if I wanted too, so I guess I developed a distaste for children."

Olivia laughed. "I remember that."

"I'll make us some dinner and you can get an early night. I know you must be tired after your drive."

"I am and I'll help. I will have to get use to all the domestic things again."

"Yes and driving now after so long being driven about will exhaust you."

"True I was beyond scared at the speed and aggression out there on the motorway. It was fine once I got away from the city."

"I love it. I've always loved speed though."

"Yes well you can have it. I will let you drive wherever we go."

"You need to practice. It is freedom and now you have it. I know that you will be watching over your shoulder for the next year but it will all be fine. If you don't want to live here but want to live near, there is a cottage at the far end of the property you can have."

"Thank you Emma. I may take you up on that but for now...I've been alone too long. I could use companionship in this new life I'm embarking on."

"Good because I've been tired of talking to thin air for the last decade as well. This house is too large for just me and the real estate agents are alway pestering me to sell. I think I've scared them off recently by telling them that my son from Canada wants the house when I die. He will move back with his wife and 4 children."

"They bought that?"

"I told you. People underestimate old ladies. They have the antiquated notion that we don't lie, have never had sex, nor done anything grand and have never had any adventures. We bake, knit, embroider and sew. We don't fight Russian spies and destabilize other governments for Queen and Country."

M laughed and reached across the marble counter to clasp Emma's hand. "Thank you. I knew you would understand. There are not many people who could understand what I've done…"

Emma pat her hand affectionately. "I know. Come on let's make stew and soda bread."

"I hope you know how, because I also had others cooking for me too."

"Spoilt bitch! Quit rubbing it in!" The two old friends dissolved into laughter as Olivia moved around the counter to try to help Emma make dinner.

The end?