Set right after Skyfall.
English isn't my language but I hope you can still enjoy the story, just look past the mistakes ;)
#
"So, you checked out of medic. Shouldn't you go home by now?" Q asks when he notice that Bond was still lying on their, Q-branch's break room's sofa. It was eleven at night and most of the people were off because there weren't many operations going. Just some handlers were staying and some technicians on duty. MI6's new HQ was surprisingly empty at night.
"Yes, but I haven't had time to find new one." Bond murmurs, his arm shielding his eyes when Q puts lights on.
"Why?" Q asks and then remembers. "Oh. Anything left?" He puts the kettle on and yawns.
"Some things. But they though that I was dead so…"
"Bad luck." Q finds his mug and almost drops it and Bond notices that.
"Indeed. Shouldn't you be home? You look hell. Everyone else is gone by now."
"Soon." Q sighs. "Paper works. Never waits being done."
"Got problems helping me?" Bond asks. He had totally forgotten Q's part of the operation and what he asked Q to do. Well, there had been many things going. And Q agreed to help him. To Bond, it told much about character.
"No. Not actually. I'm bit surprised though. Mallory isn't so arse than what I though." Q grins and tries find his Earl Grey. Maybe coffee would be better.
Bond chuckles and smiles. "Really?"
"Yeah. Tanner was also impressed." Q almost pours the hot water on his hand. God he is tired. He hasn't slept more than couple hours past three days.
"That says a lot." Bond sits up and watches Q doing his cup of tea. "So, your career is safe?"
Q smiles. "Still here." And he slumps front of the table and James realize some things. Like why he hadn't met this new Q before. It's odd when considering how much time he usually is spending in Q-branch annoying people.
"So, this was your test time? Got bit rough."
Q looks up from his cuppa and nods. "Yeah. But still quartermaster. Although I made really good rookie mistake letting Silva hack the system they though that I have done pretty well considering the whole situation. And, well, this wasn't the only situation pass this two month what I have been here. You should ask what 004 did. It was a nightmare. After that I though that nothing can go more wrong. And I was wrong."
"Of course you were. How in hell they choose you?" Bond can't but ask wondering how talent Q have to be that they let that rookie mistake go past their heads. "You are still young."
"Not so young than what you see thinking." Q sips his tea, smelling the relaxing aroma, hoping that he would be soon home and sleep.
"You look young."
"And you look old. And I know that you aren't. As a double-o agent maybe, but not as a field agent." Q parks back.
"Read my file I see." Bond is bit impressed. Field agents' files are highly secured. Q just smirks.
"I have read everyone's files. My own including what I haven's supposed to read. The profile was… interesting." Q smiles remembering what was the profiler's review.
"Yours or mine?"
"Both."
They laugh and fell in comfort silence. To Bond there isn't much people whose company he would feel calm. Q really is a rare case.
"So, no home?" Q seems to think something and Bond shakes his head.
"No."
"I have big flat and spare room. I do long hours so I'm rarely home at all."
Bond watches Q, thinking what it would be, to share flat with this man. He had never shared his flat before, mostly because his work. But, maybe this time, because they actually work together and that in time he can find his own place to stay.
"I can say same. Although between the missions I just sleep."
Q's eyebrow rises a bit to that but then he just smiles. "Two hours and we can go." Q is up again and going and Bond lays himself back to sofa.
"Call me." He says when Q shuts the lights.
#
"Find place to stay?" Tanner asks when he sees Bond standing patiently in the hall after midnight.
"Q offered his spare room." Bond says watching Tanner's reaction what is just a small tired smile.
"Good. I have no room to anyone to stay but I though that I can offer the sofa. Though I though that you would stay in hotel."
Bond shrugs his shoulders. "I can, but I actually want to sleep place where I don't have to keep my other eye open."
"Then Q's home is the best." Tanner laughs. Bond tilts his head.
"Why so? Been there?"
"Once, when I went get him to his new job. And I think he may have secured his place more now that he's part of MI6." Tanner walked past the agent and see how curious Bond is now.
"Though that he worked here before already?"
"Not know much about him, don't you?" Tanner stops, watching the agent carefully.
"No."
"And you are going to share flat with him."
"Yes. Problems?"
"Oh, no. No I don't think so. Good night Bond."
"Good night." Bond's eyes follow Tanner when he excused himself out of MI6. What was that about?
"Scared you?" Q asks appearing behind the agent, pulling his black jacket over his thin shoulders. Bond follows him out to the paking place.
"No, but brought up some questions."
"Well? You can ask." Q's smile is bit tight.
"I can, but do you answer?" Bond eyes Q and the younger man seems tensing a bit.
"It depends."
The car is Aston Martin, newest one and Bond is impressed. "Nice car."
"I could let you drive but I'm too tired to tell where to drive." Q opens the doors and now Bond is unsure how tired the man is.
"Are you sure you can drive?"
"Maybe. Willing to take a risk?"
"Why not." Bond let himself inside the car noticing soon that there are some critical chances from original AM.
"You really are nerd, you know." Bond watches the electronic on the panel. Not just mp3 player, there is much more.
"Like I said, I can do much damage just with my laptop." Q reminds him. Again, something clicks into place. "You did something, don't you?"
"Yes, something that MI6 noticed and was really impressed although MI5 wanted my head from that stunt." Q starts the engines just with his finger print. High secured car indeed. Bond smiles again. He should have expected this from Q.
"And you were offered a job?"
"Yeah. Most of us who works with computers here in MI5 and MI6 are former criminals. You know that."
"Never though that you would be one of them. And being Q-branch's head."
"Surprise to everyone, if they would know. I have actually worked to MI6 over three years now. But not here in HQ."
"Field training." Bond guess and Q flinch and that almost go unnoticed, but Bond still notice it . So, there was a hard past under that cool smooth outside.
Interesting.
"Orphan?"
"Yes."
"Ma'am picked you, didn't she? Personally."
"Yes. Just like you."
Yes, read my file, Bond though. They are quiet for some time until they are out of City.
"Not more questions?" Q asks.
"What's your name?"
"Usually I have known as Quentin." Q just drives past the red lights. Luckily there isn't much of traffic anymore.
"Usually. And when not usually?"
"Quincy. "
Really?
"How fitting. Age?"
"Thirty one."
Oh, he was bit older than he had though. Q glances at him.
"That's all?"
"Yes."
"Good. We are here."
They were beside the Thames, and middle of the warehouses.
"Here?"
"More space to go. Here are some people living but not too many. Not many actually know that here are some apartments."
"Your own or rent?"
"Own. Ten years now." Q digs out the remoter and clicks it front of steel door. It's big, like small airplane could fit through the door, but it opens just that Q can drive inside. It's dark. When the car stops and Bond steps out the lights go on. The hall is mostly empty and clean. Some tools and worktable. Another car. There is stairs what leads up. Q walks the nearest wall where is small laptop. His securities, Bond guess.
"Just go up." Q's eyes are still on his laptop. "I have to chance some protocols now that you are here."
"Of course you have to." Bond takes his small bag and is soon up the flat. It is bigger what it seems outside. Kitchen (fridge empty), living room (very big TV screen), three smaller room (one must be Q's study because the computers and so, and then his bedroom what is just as clean and unused what Bond had expected) and loo and bathroom. No windows apart from living room to hall.
Bond sits on his new room on his new bed what is nice and calling him to sleep. Q's peaks in.
"Don't go outside before me. I have to show you how the security works. If you want something from HQ I have already links to there. Just say. Good night." And he's already gone.
"Night."
And ten minutes later Bond is sleeping.
