Belongs to Kudos, and or BBC, not mine, only having fun for the first time in months. Abigal is much more herself. All is fluff...
Thankful

The JIC had rendered its decision on the fate of Sir Harry Pearce for his release of a state secret. He would not be charged with treason. He would not be relieved of duty. Instead, he would be forced to work with American Intelligence on U.S, soil for 30 days. He and his entire team would leave immediately for the U.S.

Harry left the closed door JIC session looking like a man facing execution. Ruth was waiting outside. His look scared her. Then he explained the ruling. All Ruth could do was smile and give him a hug. They were still very reserved in public.

Back on the Grid, Harry called a meeting of the team which now included Alec. Somehow Harry had managed to make Alec's decommissioning go away. No one was sure how he pulled that off, but Alec seemed grateful for the second chance and was showing extreme loyalty to Harry,

"Meeting room now!" barked Harry. Business as usual it seemed.

Everyone wanted to know what was going on. Was Harry out? Who would replace him? Why was Ruth smiling?

As they took their seats around the table, Harry began to speak. "It's been a rough time around here. I don't need to repeat the details. Needless to say I've had my wrist slap for releasing a non-existent state secret. The end result is we are all being sent to the states for training in cooperation and team work. I see this as futile, but was given little choice. Anyone have anything to say?"

Beth, as usual had a comment. "I think it's fantastic. You did mention we'd be there a month. It's a great time for Christmas shopping."

Ruth interjected, "Well don't forget they have this additional holiday before Christmas called Thanksgiving...although it seems silly to me because we should always be thankful we are alive. Still, I'll research it a little more. I know it involves eating and that horribly violent game they call football, which makes no since because the foot is hardly involved..."

"Ruth you are rambling, any other point on the topic," said Harry?

"Well apparently after this day of feasting, everyone goes shopping for bargains on items they really don't need," concluded Ruth based on a rudimentary understanding of the holiday.

Beth responded, well it sounds like great fun to me
"Fun is the last thing JIC is expecting us to have," warned Harry.

"At least we all get to be together," chimed in Tariq.

Alex leaned back in his chair and said nothing.

Dimitri decided to follow Alec's example and kept his thoughts to himself. He hadn't decided if Beth liked or really liked Alec. He also saw how Alec kept looking a Ruth, a look that could get him killed if Harry picked up on it. So far Dimitri thought to himself Harry had seemingly not noticed. Then again Dimitri had recently been blindsided by Harry when Harry tossed in that can of stun gas while they retrieved Albany. Dimitri thought he should never underestimate his esteem boss again where Ruth was concerned. Likewise, he would keep his flirting with Ruth to a minimal but he wasn't going to stop it. There has to be a little payback for that stun gas trick. Still, I suspect Alec may be Harry's new obstacle where it comes to Ruth.

They had just three hours to be packed and ready to leave on a commercial flight. Harry was booked in first class. Ruth had been booked with the rest of the team in business class. Seeing the seat beside him vacant, he quickly had her seat upgraded and sent for her. Initially she protested that she should receive no better treatment than the rest of the team. Harry countered that he was in charge and JIC made it clear they understood that there was some connection between the two and that it needed to be sorted out one way or the other. Neither had to leave the service, they just needed to define the relationship.

In reality Harry was looking forward to a six-hour flight with Ruth at his side for conversation and comfort. They still had not talked about all that had transpired. With a practically empty first class section, this might be their chance.

Ruth was always nervous at takeoffs. As an analyst she knew this was the most dangerous time. The plan was loaded with fuel and there was less chance of surviving than during a crash at landing. The statistics were still being calculated by her brain when Harry's voice brought her back to the present.

"I didn't mean to upset you when I upgraded your seat."

"It's all right Harry. The one thing Lucas made me realize was that everyone knows how we feel about each other. They just don't know what we will do about it. Nor do we I suspect."

"I know what I'd like to do," said Harry.

"We agreed to follow the Adam theory of life this time. Remember? We agreed to let things just crinkle out."

"Yes, but we still need to discuss a few issues. One includes adjoining rooms I booked for us.

"Harry! You didn't. I did all the hotel bookings and that didn't happen."

"Yes, but I went back in and made a few adjustments to the bookings. I knew better than to change the seating on the plane until I had you truly snared with the doors closed and wheels up."

"Remind me to continue checking everything right down to the last minute of an operation," said Ruth to this admission by Harry of his purposely tinkering in her planning process. "Didn't the JIC hearing teach you anything?" It was a blow below the belt, but she felt he needed the reminder.

"It taught me Ruth to remember to always stay one step ahead of everyone in the planning process. I should never have let you off the Grid. That would have prevented some of the problems. Then too, I should have pushed Lucas more when I interrogated him, but part of me still felt too guilty over his time in that awful Russian prison. Let's not look backward. Let's go forward without lies."

Ruth thought, Harry is practically quoting to me what I said to Lucas. Instead she said, "Yes, it is time for us to move forward. The matter with the JIC is settled. I'm not adverse to the adjoining rooms and we will take it from there."

Meanwhile back in business class Dimitri and Beth were chatting.

"What do you think they are discussing," said Beth

"If I know Harry, it's about how to undermine the CIA on their home turf," said Dimitri.

"Yes but the CIA can't operate within the U.S."

"It's intelligence analysis teams can,' responded Dimitri surprising Beth at how much he knew about U.S. operations.

"Remember I'm former SBS. We often had to train with U.S. military. They're not so bad once you get past a personality glitch or two."

Alec decided it was time to add a word of caution," I think I would leave Harry and Ruth alone at this point. There is a lot to sort out and you two aren't the two to be giving life-experience advice."

Beth started to protest but saw the look in Alec's eyes that seemed to be more threatening than any she had ever seen, including Harry's."

Tariq whispered to Beth, "I really think Alec has a thing for Ruth, but she's only got eyes for Harry, and Alec is respecting that for now. Having looked over a few documents, I'm not sure how long that will last."

Beth raised her eyebrows but decided not to comment or tell Dimitri what Tariq had relayed to her. She would observe operations from a distance this time and not offer advice. Harry gave her a second chance with MI5. Now she wants him to have his chance with Ruth. She would be on guard for any moves by Alec or Dimitri for that matter as he seemed to have a crush on the lady analyst.

Up in first class, Ruth had settled down for a nap, still exhausted by events if the past few months, Harry was saddened by this as he wanted to talk with her. He cheered up a little as she snuggled into his shoulder, allowing him now to place his arm around her in a protective manner.

More to follow