Post S9, post inquiry. No idea where we're going.
"Sorry, Ruth, I need you to stay here."
"But I can be of use on the operation."
"And you can be just as useful here."
"But Harry.."
"End of discussion, Ruth."
With that Harry, Beth and Dimitri turned to the pods. Ruth and Tariq remained on the grid, her face fixed as she silently cursed Harry's decision.
Tariq looked at her.
"He just wants to keep you out of danger," he dared, softly.
"Well, he doesn't need to. He has no right to…I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself."
Tariq didn't answer that one. He didn't want to point out that her last two excursions from the grid hadn't exactly been a raging success.
As they stood silently Alec emerged and he too headed for the pods.
"Tariq, you're with me. Let's go."
Tariq looked at Ruth.
"What are you waiting for?" shouted Alec.
Tariq smiled apologetically at her and followed Alec.
"I'll just man the fort here then, shall I? Don't worry about me," she called after them, now even more annoyed.
But they were gone.
She looked around the now empty grid and sighed.
"Fine," she muttered and returned to her desk.
"I don't think Ruth was very happy," Alec told Harry.
Harry grimaced. He knew that he wouldn't hear the end of this one. He could just imagine the rather stern expression that she would be wearing when she inevitably visited his office to berate him for treating her with such kid gloves.
"I'd lay low if I were you," advised Alec, reading his mind.
"That or make sure the decanter's well filled," Harry replied.
The two of them smiled and walked back into the reception room.
"Harry, we have Narwaaz," Beth's voice broke through the coms.
"And the explosives?" he asked.
"Secured," came Dimitri's voice.
"Good. Let's get him back to the grid and find out who the hell is behind this."
The pod doors swished open once more.
The grid was empty.
"Ruth," called Harry.
"She's more annoyed with you than you thought," laughed Alec.
"Annoyed, yes, but to the point of going home, never."
Beth walked to her desk and wearily went to sit down. She never quite reached her chair, instead she froze mid sit.
Harry knew there was something wrong.
He crossed following Beth's eye line.
Ruth was lying on the floor behind her desk. Still. Silent. White.
"Ruth," Harry was on his knees beside her.
"Ruth…." his fingers reached for her pulse, he could feel nothing only the tight knot of panic rising in his chest.
"Ruth," he called once more, begging his fingers to feel something. Begging to feel the whisper of a pulse. Begging for some sign of life.
Begging.