It was supposed to be a one off but , well you know me. Enjoy :D

I Will Always Protect You

Bond/M

The mission was only supposed to take a few weeks and had ended up a 3 month stint. As much as James loved his field work, 3 months away was pushing it. For the first month, M would check in with him every few days to get updates about drop off times and locations for the gun handling racket he had to become a part of to get information on one of Britain's top gun lords. The operation had taken him to Italy and it had become long and tedious and the hot weather had driven him out of his mind. The only thing that had kept him going was his conversations with M. After the first month, the mission had been taken over by Bill Tanner much to James annoyance. Whenever he asked about M or wanted to speak to her, he was brushed off with excuses about her being in a meeting or out of the building.

He looked out of the window as his plane touched down at Heathrow. He got his luggage and hailed a taxi and directed the driver to his location. He walked into MI6 and headed straight for M's office. If she was angry at him for something then he sure as hell wanted to know what he'd done wrong. Eve was at her desk when he entered.

"Eve."

"James, we weren't expecting you back so soon."

"Well the mission's over isn't it."

"Yes but you normally take a few days for yourself before coming back."

"I know but Italy isn't really my type of place. I've never been so relieved to be home. So is she in her office."

"Sorry."

"M, you know, the woman who's been ignoring me for the last 2 months." He said, with a hint of venom in his voice.

"James I…."

"Bond, you're back." Bill said, appearing from M's office.

"Wasn't on the news was it."

"We weren't expecting you back for a few more days."

"Yeah, I've already had that conversation with her." He smiled, nodding to Eve.

"Bill, he wants to see M."

James took note of the looks Eve and Bill gave one another.

"What's going on."

"Bond I…."

"Where's M, what's happened."

"James, M was attacked 8 weeks ago." Eve said, quietly.

"Attacked, by who?"

"We don't know."

"Did she get a look at whoever it was."

"She's barely said anything since it happened." Bill said.

"How did it happen. How the hell did anyone even manage to get to her, she has people around her all the time."

"Who ever it was waited until her driver dropped her of at home."

"They were inside the house."

"It appears so."

"How did they even manage to get in."

"We could ask you the same thing James." Eve smiled.

"Alright fair point."

"The experience has un-nerved her. She suffered a few cracked ribs, her cheek was badly swollen, it's only just fading now."

"What you're telling me is that she's scared."

"Bill and I have been around a few times to see her but she looks, I don't know."

"After everything Silva put her though, this shouldn't unravel her."

"Well it has and to be fair, when Silva was after her at least she knew you were there beside her, protecting her."

"You think it was someone she knows."

"It certainly seems like a personal attack."

"Why the hell didn't either of you tell me before now. You've had 2 months to tell me this."

"M wanted the mission completed, even though she wasn't here it was still her top priority."

"Well it'done now, so I'm off."

Bill nodded and walked back into M's office and Eve ran to catch up with James.

"James wait.."

"What is it."

"Go easy on her okay. She's scared, I've never seen her like this before. Everytime I look at her she looks like she wants to cry. I'm really worried for her."

"I'll do my best, thanks Eve."

James made his way to his lock up to get his faithful Aston Martin before driving over to M's townhouse. He stood on the steps surveying the grounds to see if there was any suspicious cars parked near by just in case. When he was sure it was clear he knocked on the front door. He stood for a good 5 minutes but there was no reply. He knocked again and could just make out M's shadow though the rimmed glass on the door.

"M, it's James. Please let me in."

He felt relief when he heard the lock turn and the door opened. He was a little taken a back when he looked at her. She looked so worn out, she clearly hadn't been sleeping and he could see she'd been crying. He could just make out the faded bruise on her cheek. He put out his hand to touch her face but she flinched away from him. He stepped inside the hallway and she closed the door behind her and turned to him.

"Who did that to you."

"I already told Eve and Bill, it was dark. They took me by surprise. Do you want a drink."

He could tell by the way she leaned a little forward that her ribs were still healing. Despite her tiredness she was still dressed immaculately. She wore a pair of loose fitting black trousers with a cream blouse and black jacket. He watched her as she poured them both a drink. She was taking her time sitting down because it was still awkward to move about. She gasped when she felt his arm around her waist, but relaxed at his touch as he lowered her down. He passed her the whiskey and she downed it in one mouthful.

"M tell me. Tell me who did this to you."

"It doesn't matter."

"Of course it does, look at you. Look at what they did to your face."

"It's not that bad now."

"I want his name, one way or another you know I'll find out."

"You never give up do you."

"Not when it's you they hurt."

"4 days after I was attacked, a single red rose was delivered to me. Only one man has ever given me a single red rose in my lifetime and it wasn't my Husband."

"Who was it."

"His names is Taylor Hunt, I met him when I was 22, we read law together. When I first met him he was sweet, he treated me like I was the only girl in the room."

"So what happened."

"We began seeing one another and for the first 6 months things were good."

"But…"

"He was failing his law exams, he began drinking heavily and one night we were arguing about ... I can't even remember about what but he turned on me."

"He hit you."

"He apologised after he did it and like a fool I forgave him, but he did it again and again."

"You're not the type to put up with that."

"Back then I wasn't strong. I was young, foolish, naïve, no back bone. I sat there and I took it. One day I walked in and I saw him dealing drugs to some of the other students, apparently it wasn't his first time doing it."

"So what did you do."

"I reported him. He was found out and he was thrown out of law school. All that work down the pan, just like that. After that they never let him back in and he blamed me. It was all my fault, not his because the fool decided to deal drugs and get himself thrown out. He told me when he left that he'd never forget what I'd done to him and that one day I would pay for my actions. He said I'd know when the time came. I always thought he was bluffing."

"Until now."

"I didn't know it was him until the rose, I should have though, his scent."

"His scent."

"The fool still uses the same scent, even after all these years."

"Was it just him here that night or were there others."

"It was just him."

James watched as her hand began to shake and he saw her lip tremble. He got up from the couch and sat on the table to face her. He took the glass from her and placed it to the side and took her hands in his.

"M, Eve said there's something you're not telling us. She says you look like you want to cry all the time and when I touched you, you flinched at the contact. You know I'd never hurt you, don't you."

"Of course I do." She whispered.

"M, I'm going to ask you a very personal and hard question but I want you to be honest with me. I need you to trust me."

"James don't, please."

"You know what I'm going to ask you don't you. I know you weren't properly examined by the hospital."

"James I…"

"Did he rape you." He asked softly.

James didn't need her to say anything else because he got the answer he needed. She finally succumbed to her tears and she allowed James to gather her in his arms.

"It's okay, you're okay. I've got you now, you're safe."

To Be Continued…