I appear to be mired in a Harry shaped hole. I've done this story before from the opposite point of view, but thought it was worth a go this way round.

I hope it's sufficiently varied. Set around the end of S4, but with Adam in good health!

And to the reviewer who seems to believe that I don't care for readers, only for reviewers, can I just point out that if I only cared about reviews then I wouldn't lose the opportunity of them by posting every chapter as soon as it's written. I write because I need to and if you choose to review then I thank you for it and if you choose to read I hope you enjoy it.


Ruth felt distinctly uncomfortable. She felt railroaded. In fact, that is exactly what she had been - railroaded.

"You knew him, Ruth. You're perfect," claimed Adam.

"More than knew him," smirked Zaf, eyebrows stratospheric.

"I don't think it's a good idea," she said, not for the first time.

"It's a great idea," and with that Zaf picked up the files and he and Adam headed for the meeting room, "... bet you Harry thinks so."

Harry. Oh god, Harry.

Could this get any worse, Ruth wondered.


"So, what do you think?"

Harry sat.

It was a good plan. The best plan available. He would be a fool not to agree.

"This isn't Ruth's field. I'm not convinced it's suited to her ... particular skills."

"Oh, come on, Harry, she'll be great," buzzed Zaf.

"Look how convincingly she talked Angela Wells down," enthused Adam, in their tag team presentation.

"That was different."

Uncharacteristically Harry seemed to be not moving on the subject.

He looked at Jo.

"What do you think?"

She hesitated and glanced at Ruth, who was eternally gratefully that at least one person in the room had bothered to acknowledge her existence.

"I'd suggest Ros for it, but it's obvious Ruth is by far the best candidate."

With impeccable timing, Ros entered.

"This better be something to do with translating Wu, or my nose will feel seriously out of joint."

Adam slid the file across the table.

"Johnny Featherstone. Believed to be at the centre of the Capital Dawn project. He's the money man. Financial whizzkid responsible for funding them, increasing coffers and doubling supporters with financial incentives.

Ros skimmed through the paperwork quickly as Zaf changed the image on the wall behind Harry's head.

"Fourteen years ago. Johnny Featherstone, first year Oxford undergraduate…"

The picture was of a young, heavily bearded man on a bike. He was scruffy, startled and unkempt.

"Acclaimed mathematical genius and University boyfriend of..."

Zaf, with undisguised relish "...…Ruth Evershed."

All eyes turned to Ruth, again.

Except Ros who gazed at the picture with disdain.

"Yep, fair enough, he's all yours Ruth! " And with that she got up and headed out again, "Any tips you need, just shout."

"Oh, come on, Harry, it's perfect," insisted Adam, "Old college lovers, coincidentally reunited."

"A few nights out, few drinks, bit of reminiscing and bob's your uncle..." grinned Zaf.

"Ruth's embedded in the organisation we've been trying to bring down since last November!"

Harry was not keen on the term 'embedded'.

But how could he say no to this, when if it were anyone else they wouldn't even be having this conversation? How could he say no to this when his main reasons for wanting to say no, were his own personal feelings?

"Ruth?" he asked.

"Thank you, yes, I am in the room," she muttered.

"Do you think you can make this work?'

"Of course, I'm not totally incapable."

She wasn't sure and she wasn't willing. But they did not need to know that. Besides which, she was decidedly sick of being underestimated.

"Fine," stated Harry getting up and leaving the room.

Adam and Zaf were beside themselves.

"Right, Ruth. You're on!"