A/N: I've said that this one will be less plausible, but thinking about it now, BBC/Kudos didn't really give us enough to go on in the last series. For all I know, this may have been possible, but we didn't see enough of Erin and Dimitri's relationship at the end to know. So, I'm going to try to upload a chapter every day, though I go back to school this week so it may not be possible, definitely won't be leaving more than two days though. And finally, here you go…
Dimitri frowns as he notices Erin, watching as she throws her head into her hands in annoyance, stress clouding her eyes. He swiftly returns his eyes to the computer screen in front of him as Harry strides through the grid, then allows them to go back her as he just as quickly leaves.
Dimitri looks around the room for a few seconds – just Calum and a techie – then pushes himself out of his seat and towards Erin's desk. He sits gently on the edge of her table and smiles softly as she looks up at him from her chair. She gives a half-hearted smile back, and Dimitri's expression rearranges into one of concern.
"Everything okay?" he asks, his voice full of sincerity.
She nods a little too vigorously, and grasps the computer mouse with her hand. Dimitri intercepts the hand, inadvertently holding it in his own as he realises his reluctance to let go. She is forced to look up at him.
Taking advantage, he lightly tugs on her hand and pulls her out of the room behind him. "Wha-" Erin begins to ask, but gives up just as quickly; she knows what he's like.
"You look like you could do with the fresh air." They stand outside, leant against a wall.
She looks down at her feet. "Such a charmer," Erin can't help but smile.
Dimitri eyes her with slight worry. "You know what I mean." He tucks his hands behind him to stop himself from reaching out to her. "What's wrong?"
Erin turns to him, moving to lean her side against the wall. "It's nothing, really. Just babysitter trouble." He nods. Admittedly, it sounds like nothing, but he can't help but hate guys that brush such problems aside as though it doesn't concern them, so he pushes on.
His eyes don't leave her, and Erin senses that he is waiting for more. She sighs, why does he care so much? "I'm supposed to be going to a funeral up north, and I didn't really want to take her with me." At the surprised look, she offers more. "It's not anyone I knew particularly well; my mother's cousin. Rosie never even met her so I didn't see the point. The babysitter was going to look after her for the weekend but she rang to say she can't do it, and the rest of my family are all going up there." She shakes her head; being a spook leaves very little time for 'normal' friends, and she's seldom happy leaving Rosie with friends from school for anything longer than an evening. She can't help but be overprotective considering her unusual occupation and the recent scare. "It's fine. I'll just have to take her with me."
Concern is raised in Dimitri's eyes once again. He thinks for a couple of seconds. "Is there no one else here in London?" She shakes her head, he shrugs. "I could take her." He can barely believe he's said the words himself. He blinks a couple of times, swallows, thinks it through. He figures it could work. He's met Rosie only twice since her kidnap, but she seemed to like him. He's never really looked after anyone other than himself, but he deals with terrorists and bombs on a daily basis; how hard can it be?
Erin's eyes grow wide and she looks up at him in shock. "What? No, don't be stupid. I'll just take her." She honestly hadn't expected him to say anything of the sort.
He takes out one of his hands and lets it rest on her arm. "Look, you just said yourself that you didn't want to take her with you. I've met her a couple of times, I could look after her whilst you're away. It would be good to get to know her a little." He smiles the smile that makes it so hard for her to argue with him. How can he look so effortlessly attractive, yet so kind and gentle at the same time? "When are you going?"
She splutters a little before regaining some composure. "Well I leave tomorrow but you probably have work. Honestly, don't worry about it."
He shakes his head with another grin. "I've worked non-stop the last month, Harry will give me the time off." He senses something more and he dips his head again to level with her. "She'll be safe with me. I promise."
She gives him another disapproving look. "Dee, I'm not letting you take time off to look after my daughter when there's no reason for her not to come with me." She wonders whether a normal mother would be worried by leaving their daughter with a colleague; she's not, for some reason with Dimitri it doesn't even cross her mind.
The grin doesn't falter. "Well, I know when I was six," he's impressed he's managed to remember her age, "I would have opted out of a funeral, given the chance. Isn't that reason enough?" Another pause, he's winning her over. "I'll take Rosie." He says the words slowly. "How long will you be gone?"
She meets his gaze again; he's still smiling. Apparently, he really doesn't mind doing this for her. She shakes herself out of a daze. "Umm. Well, I leave tomorrow afternoon, and the funeral is Saturday so I should be back by late afternoon on Saturday." She was going to stay until Sunday, but she doesn't want to cause any more trouble for Dimitri than she already is.
He nods and drops his hand. "Great. I'll take tomorrow afternoon off, and I have the weekend off anyway." He smiles, no way she can argue now.
Erin relaxes her body in defeat, and has one last stab. "You don't have things…" She trails off at his defiant shake of the head. "Ok," she says. "If you're sure."
They talk for a few more minutes before turning back to the building. Erin puts a hand on his arm. "Dee, thank you." He nods her appreciation away and asks for a few more details as they head for the stairs.
A/N: Please review, I'd love to know what your first impressions are…
