Title: Faux Pas

Summary: We all know how Ruth doesn't like being talked about. Ironically, she's the one who lets the proverbial cat out of the bag.

A/N: Meh. I've had this for a while, finally decided to post it. It's pretty boring but, please read, enjoy review anyway!!

Disclaimer: I don't own.


The trill blasted through the previously silent air of the room, and out of pure reflex, Ruth tumbled out of bed and ran to answer the phone. She yawned,

and then blearily said, "Hello?"

There was a silence before she got a reply.

"Is this the residence of Harold Bergman? This is Johnathan Nichols, an acquaintance of his." The voice seemed familiar somehow, but it was just far too early for her to recognize it. Ruth scratched her head, ruffling her tousled hair, and shivered. Her nightgown was quite scant, only falling to mid-thigh and kept up by two thin spaghetti straps.

"Johnathan, is it? Alright, well, when Harold gets up, I'll let him know you called." She mumbled, still half asleep. She frowned, squinting in thought. Johnathan. Johnathan...Nichols. Nichols...Why was it so familiar?

Something clicked in her head and she gaped at the phone in horror.

"Zaf?"

The man on the other end didn't respond for a moment.

"It's-It's Ruth." She muttered very quietly, embarrassed at her own blundering carelessness. Hadn't she made an explicit agreement with Harry that they wouldn't answer each other's phones so that situations like these could be avoided?

"Oh...Ohhh... Err...Sorry, it is a bit early...Uhh-"

"Look Zaf, let's not make this anymore embarrassing than it is, okay? Do you have anything urgent for Harry? And since we're talking now, anything urgent for me?"

"The DG needs to set a meet with Harry. That's it."

"I'll let him know when he gets up. Um... Thanks Zafar. And you won't tell anyone about this, will you?" Her tone was stern, as a mother would scold her son, and she nodded at his consent, more to reassure herself than anything.

"Right, uh, sorry again...Speak to you later-"

The call came to an end, and she put the phone back on the base. She slowly went back into the bedroom, and found Harry making the bed.

"Ohhh...God!"

She flopped onto her stomach in distress. Harry frowned.

"What?"

She didn't get up, and her reply was muffled as she buried her face in the duvet. "I answered your phone. It was Zaf. He was positively mortified! Damn it, what if it was one of your superiors? Oh that was horrible... He's going to tell! He's running a book on us, there are going to be lots of grumpy people on the Grid today. Oh he's going to tell..." Harry smiled gently at her and sat on the bed. Ruth rolled over and rested her head in his lap.

"If he says anything, I'll make sure that a memo goes out; Betting pools in the office are now and henceforth prohibited on the Grid."

She giggled, but the sound was cut short as he pulled her up for a good-morning kiss.

END