As requested by forrestsc, (and sooner than expected) an interpretation of events after Jo's death in 8:3. HR centric.

Harry put the phone down, a wave of sadness rolling over him. Jo… she'd actually died. And Ros had shot her. Harry shook his head once to clear the vivid images. From the reports he was getting he knew that Ros had had no choice, otherwise everyone there would have been blown up. He had been in this job far too long for grief to come as that much of a surprise but the thing he was dreading was telling Ruth. Any moment now she was going to come in and ask for an update. On her first day back, he was going to have to tell her that her best friend in this job had died. He closed his eyes in dread as the door of his office opened without a knock announcing the presence.

Ruth's face was an open one and he knew she didn't yet know. Her incredible hacking skills hadn't yet managed to find her a report of the scene. "What is it?" she asked quietly. He locked eyes with hers.

"We've regained control of the panic room from Finn Lambert," Harry said succinctly.

"That's good," Ruth said, walking a step or two closer to him. "What else? You aren't telling me something."

"Jo… She's been shot. Ros had no choice. If she hadn't the whole bunker would have gone up." Ruth nodded as her eyes clouded over with tears. "Ruth…"

"Don't," she said quietly, turning from him and closing his office door. Just outside she braced herself against the wall and let the tears flow down her face. How could Jo be dead? It didn't make sense and it simply wasn't fair. She had managed to survive three years in this violent environment while Ruth herself was in Cyprus only to die on the very day she got back to work. It was bitterly unfair. She tried to stop crying but just couldn't.

Harry gave her a minute or two alone before he left his office. He knew she was upset, how could she not be? This wasn't why she had come back to Thames House, to see more friends die in cruel ways. He saw her standing a short distance away from him, facing the wall. He took a few seconds but knew she was unaware of his presence. Getting prepared for her to shrug him off, he put a hand on her shoulder gently. She didn't move a muscle, except to try and stop the tears that were flowing freely and unchecked down her face. After a few seconds he gave her shoulder a light squeeze, and she turned and face him, her beautiful face marred by tracks of tears.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Don't apologise," he said certainly.

"I can't believe it," Ruth said shaking her head. "She's gone… I just can't believe it."

"I'm going to take you home," he said in a gentle but firm voice.

"No, I can't. I have to do…"

"I'm not taking no for an answer," he interrupted. "The rest of the world can wait for an hour or so."

"Okay," she said nodding weakly. She went to her desk and quickly picked up her things as Harry watched her sadly. He hoped she wouldn't leave again. Her first day back… what a thing to happen on her first day. He felt grief and shock for Jo, but he was also worried about Ruth. She shrugged her coat on and nodded at Harry once. He walked with her out through the pods and down to the car. He knew this car journey would not be a comfortable one.

More coming when its written! I see this being a four or five chapter fic.