Published: 21st July 2012

Completed: 21st July 2012

Flat-Hunting: A Spooks fan-fiction.

Title: Flat Hunting
Fandom: Spooks
Characters/Pairings: Harry/Ruth
Rating: K
Warnings: None

Summary: Ruth experiences the trials and tribulations of flat hunting. Can Harry come to her rescue?

Disclaimer: I don't own Spooks or any of the characters you may recognise. They all belong to Kudos/BBC.

A/N: Inspired by my (so far unsuccessful) hunt for a new flat. Set early Series 5.

Monday

"Well thanks a lot," muttered Ruth, sarcastically as she put the phone down.

Zaf, who had just entered through the pods with Jo, looked across at her as he sat down. "Problems?"

"That's the fourth letting agent I've spoken to today who's told me that the flats I was interested in viewing had gone. Getting slightly annoying. They should update their websites faster."

"You're moving? Why?" asked Jo. "You love your house."

"My landlord has decided he wants to sell the house and as much as I love it, I don't have the money for the deposit."

"Oh no!"

"So I have a month to find somewhere else. Not having much luck though. All the ones I've liked have gone; the others are either too expensive, don't allow pets or are too small."

"Well I'll keep an eye out for anything in the papers for you. If push comes to shove you and Fidget can always stay with us for a while, can't she Zaf?"

"Er…well yeh, but there's not much room."

"That's alright, we've got a sofa"

Ruth could sense Zaf's reluctance at having her stay, and she understood completely. "Thanks for the offer Jo, but I think I'm a bit too old to be sleeping on people's sofas."

"And why would you need to sleep on someone's sofa?" asked Harry, approaching unseen from his office. It was the first personal enquiry he had made of her since she had rejected his offer of a second date two weeks previously.

"My landlord is selling up so he can move to Australia," she explained, staring at her computer screen, "so I need to find a new place to live."

"Oh right. Well, I've always got a spare room if you need it," Harry suggested, opening his mouth before engaging his brain. She'd already told him she was worried about people talking about their relationship, or lack of.

Ruth's eyes snapped up to meet his and she blushed as, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Zaf and Jo give exchange a knowing glance. She quickly looked back down at the floor and mumbled, "Thank you, but I don't think that will be necessary."

Knowing Ruth was uncomfortable being in ear shot of Jo and Zaf so he dismissed them quickly. "Don't you two have an asset to meet?" Knowing better than to argue with their boss when he used that tone of voice, they quickly made themselves scarce.

Once they had gone, Harry and Ruth were alone on the Grid. He stepped closer to her, so close that she could feel his breath against her skin as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Ruth…"

"Harry…"

"At least consider my suggestion, my house is perfectly big enough."

"I can't Harry. I don't want people to get the wrong idea…about us. I don't want to be the subject of gossip."

"People will talk no matter what we do. Why is what they think more important than how you feel?"

"I'm sorry, Harry. I can't." Bringing the conversation to a close, she picked up her files and hurried off through the pods to registry, leaving Harry to ponder when his life got so complicated.

Wednesday

Two days later and Ruth still hadn't found a place to live. She was becoming increasingly frustrated and despondent about the whole thing. Add to that, the fact that her relationship with Harry was as strained as ever, meant that Ruth wasn't feeling her usual perky self.

"Here's one," said Jo pointing to an ad in the newspaper while they were on lunch. "Look; two-bedroom flat in Upper Bayswater." Jo handed the paper to Ruth and pointed at the flat in question.

Ruth cast her eye over it critically. "There's no such place as 'Upper Bayswater'; it means Paddington. And you missed the bit about some decorative restoration required. "

"I'm sure you're capable of slapping on a coat of emulsion," Jo pointed out.

"'Some decorative restoration' probably means there's no floor."

"Have you ever considered the possibility that you might just be being a little too pessimistic and picky?"

"Well pardon me for not wanting to live in squalor."

"It's hardly squalor, Ruth."

Ruth sighed. "Yeah, I know. Sorry. Look, maybe it's better if you leave me to look for somewhere myself, yeh. Then there's little chance of me behaving completely irrationally and losing my temper with you. I'd like to keep our friendship intact, so that when I do find a flat, I've got someone to-"

"-help you move?" Jo teased.

"Well I was going to say, invite round for tea but I suppose your answer is true as well."

Jo looked at her watch. "Well that's my lunch over." She got up from the table and looked at Ruth who hadn't moved. "You not due back yet?"

"No, Harry gave me an extended lunch so I could go and look at that flat. Shame then, that it was so small that it only took 5 minutes to look around. I might head up to the roof; see if the fresh air will help clear my head."

"Okay, see you later." Once Jo left the break room, Ruth let out another sigh; what was she going to do?

She'd been up on the roof, leaning against the railing and staring out across the familiar London skyline, for about ten minute when she heard the door open. Assuming there was a crisis and she was needed back on the Grid, she pushed herself away from the rail and turned around. As she did so she came face to face with Harry.

"What is it this time? Al Queda? Mossad? Imminent political meltdown?" she asked.

"There are no pressing matters of national security. I just came up to see how you were."

Ruth looked at him quizzically. "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Jo mentioned you were feeling a little…frustrated."

"Oh she did, did she? And since when did my personal life become the main topic of conversation on the Grid?" Ruth asked tersely.

Harry sighed, this conversation was not going the way he had envisioned. "It's by no means the main topic of conversation. Jo is your friend and she cares about you. She's only trying to help and I think, deep down, you know that."

"I guess you're right," Ruth relented. "It's this flat hunting business; it's getting to me, that's all."

"About that, I'm sorry if I embarrassed you the other day…suggesting you stay with me."

"It's fine. Forgotten," she told him, struggling to fight down the blush that threatened to flame her cheeks. It wasn't forgotten though. In her lonely nights packing boxes she had envisioned staying with Harry, spending time outside work together and seeing the domestic side to him.

Harry reached into his inside jacket pocket and handed Ruth several photos. "Two bedroom flat in Holland Park."

"Holland Park?! Are you insane? You know how much I earn, so unless you're planning on giving me a substantial pay rise, I think Holland Park will be outside my budget."

"Not this one." Ruth raised her eyebrow at him. "It's owned by a friend of mine, Robert. It belonged to his parents before they died. It's been up for sale for nearly 18 months but he's not had much interest so has taken it off the market. He needs someone to take care of the place really and he's not looking for an extortionate amount of rent because there's no mortgage to pay. He doesn't even mind about Fidget."

Ruth was almost speechless, but her analytical skills soon kicked in. "How much?"

"It's on the back of the first photo."

Ruth slowly turned the first photo over and her eyes widened as she took in the figure there. "That's…extremely reasonable. But I'm not looking for charity and I certainly don't need you calling in any favours for me."

"It's not charity. Nor a favour. It's a mutually beneficial agreement." Ruth had no answer to that, she just continued to look through the photos. "Would you like me to put you in touch with him."

"Yes please."

"I'll ring him this afternoon and let him know you're interested." Harry moved to walk away and instinctively, Ruth reached out to stop him; her hand falling on his arm. He turned back, but she didn't remove her hand

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

Harry was confused, why wouldn't he be nice to her. "I'm sorry?"

Ruth tilted her head slightly, her silky, brown hair falling forward to frame her face. "After the way I behaved, I wouldn't blame you if you never spoke to me again. Yet here you are, my knight in shining armour, finding flats for me. Why?"

"Because...", he whispered, feeling like his voice could cut glass in the silence that surrounded them. He met her eyes again. She was still looking at him, waiting for an answer. He hesitated one more moment before he continued. "Because you're my analyst. Because you're my friend. Because I care for you!" he finally managed to say, choosing the words carefully.

That was true, wasn't it? So why did he still feel like something was missing? Why did he feel so awful? Why didn't he dare to look at her? Suddenly he knew why. He couldn't lie to her, not about this. Not now. Maybe this was his chance. He closed his eyes. Feeling like the whole world was falling apart around him, he barely audible whispered, "Because I love you."

A silence descended over the roof top like a thick blanket and was almost unbearable. Realising that he'd been holding his breath, Harry let out a deep sigh and drew a shaky hand through his short hair, as he opened his eyes. Ruth avoided them and let her gaze examine the ground in front of

her feet for a second, before she looked at him again. Their eyes locked immediately.

"Harry," Ruth said, hearing her own name on his lips at the same moment. They both interrupted themselves and shared a brief smile. Funny, Harry thought, that they could still do that, in spite of the situation.

"Har-" Ruth then started again, but he interrupted her.

"No, Ruth, listen. I shouldn't have said that. Not that it isn't true, because it is. But you've made your feelings perfectly clear and I don't want to make you uncomfortable in anyway, so can we just forget it?"

Ruth struggled to find her voice; stunned by Harry's confession. She'd suspected he had feelings for her or else he wouldn't have asked her out to dinner, but she never knew his feeling ran as deep as love. Although she supposed she should have guessed; it was startlingly obvious that she was the companion he had in mind for his Grand Tour. So to have it revealed in such amazing clarity was a little overwhelming. "I can't forget about it," she finally said.

"Ruth!"

"No Harry, listen to me. Please?" Harry nodded. "I can't forget about it, because I don't want to forget about it." Harry looked puzzled. and she tilted one corner of her mouth upwards in a lop-sided smile. Hesitantly, she reached out to rest her palm against his chest. "You were right with what you said the other day. I shouldn't put what other people think before my own feelings."

Slowly, she leaned in towards him and brushed her lips lightly against his. Harry didn't dare move in case he was dreaming. Mesmerised by the sensation of her lips, the lips he'd always dreamt of, against his, it took him a moment to realise what she was actually doing. The kiss ended far too soon, before Harry had even had a chance to respond.

"Ruth?" he asked.

"I would like to have dinner again, if the offer still stands?" Despite his confession of love, she still found it hard to put her own feelings on the line.

"I'd like that."

"Good. Maybe you can come around once I've moved in to your friend's flat? I could cook."

Harry took her hand in his. "I'm not sure I can wait that long. How about tonight?"

"Have you booked a table?" she asked teasingly.

"Not this time. But I do have a place in mind. I'll pick you up at seven?"

Ruth nodded. "I'll be ready."

"Good." He moved towards to the door, but Ruth called him back once more.

"Harry. I know I said I'd try not to be bothered by what everyone else thinks, but can we keep this to ourselves. Just for now?"

Harry approached her slowly. "Of course. We can take this at whatever pace you feel comfortable. I won't rush you. Although I do ask one thing of you?"

"Go on," Ruth whispered hesitantly, nervous of what Harry was going to ask.

"One more kiss. I was so shocked by the first one, I didn't really get chance to fully participate." As he spoke he edges closer to her until their lips were barely millimetres apart. He waited though, wanting Ruth to make the first move once more. With a small smile, she lifted her hand to cup his cheek and closed the gap between them.