****Please note disclaimer ****These characters belong to Kudos. This is my first attempt at writing fan fiction or other, apologies if my etiquette is incorrect until I fully understand posting. Enjoy!

Set within 9:1 my version, or what I would have loved

He's going to say it, now; "Marry me Ruth"; "this is neither the time, nor the place" Ruth blurted.

Inwardly Harry sighed, oh lord when, will she feel how much I love her, my body yearns for her to respond to my touch, I want to hear her thoughts the inward thoughts not the outward ones she portrays to me.

"This is exactly the time and the place" Harry retorts, "it's the funeral it's made you emotional" she replies, "no it's made me see clearly"...

"I love you, my heart aches for the things we have faced, but it yearns more to give u all of me, and I would sacrifice all of myself, just to have you near". "Wake up Ruth, to reality my love; my life is not worth living if you are still so far from my grasp". My loyalty is clear; you are my priority, forfeiting everything else. "I know deep down you feel love for me; I want you by my side to see me through, until my life is through". "In my mind, in loving you I have found my strength through you".

"Ros gave everything to this country, and six people came to say goodbye Ruth, I don't want that for myself and I don't want that for you", "oh Harry god your timing", "timing means nothing" he replied, "timing means everything" and to Ruth this was true.

Harry knew he was unlikely to be in this position again, "stay with me always, you and I together….. I neither need nor want anyone else. In love, you and I will be all that I ever wanted us to be".

Stolen glances across the grid, endless banter, she has seen his every side, he couldn't be without her, and if truth be told she didn't want to be without him, yet could not tell him so.

"My god Ruth, remember all those years ago, you sacrificed yourself to keep me safe. I wish I had been strong enough to walk away from here, well now there is nothing holding me back, you see I love you, I can't say it any clearer". "I don't want to embarrass you and so resist showing my feelings in front of those who know us well, but I know and they know you make me the person I am".

"Without you I would not, I could not face life….. I want you, all the more words sometimes fail me and I cant react as I would like to, these games we play, oh how I have wanted to pull you in to my heart for all to see, pull you to my chest, envelope your beautiful skin… you have suffered enough, its time to let me in, we still have time, you have a choice to make us more complete".

And with that Ruth, looked longingly into his eyes, those all encompassing eyes, the heat was intensifying as she came closer to where he stood, without thinking she placed her hand upon his chest, rising deep as her touch took his breath away, electrifying his pulse.

Harry could resist no more, this was it, and with that he placed his arms around her waist and pulled her to him leading his face to the nape of her neck and drinking in her skin. He softly caressed her with his lips; she felt her stomach flip and her heart race, to the point of no return.

All he wanted was for her to tell him he was not lost, he was loved, yes loved by her for all this time. This was what his body yearned for, that closeness with her, mind body and soul as one. Ruth could not fight her shyness anymore; she gasped, and with delight opened her mouth slightly tracing her lips across his. Pulling back he wanted to keep the moment alive forever, close you eyes Ruth he spoke, and without hesitation she did as told, she could feel his breath linger around her cheek, his lips did not touch her once, with his presence he moved to her neck and encircled her earlobe, daring to take it into his mouth, yet not touching as his hands gently forced their way up her torso, brushing along her breasts, oh god he was alive.

She wanted more than anything to keep going, but with Tariq and Lucas awaiting their presence and remembering she was at Ros's funeral she opened her eyes and whispered "Harry, Harry darling stop, Lucas and Tariq are waiting". He thought to himself, forget bloody Lucas and Tariq, your on your own boys, but sensing her tone he knew she was right, as ever and kissed her softly on her lips aiming to savour these precious moments now and forever. Ruth felt as though she was floating and flashed him a naughty and exhilarating smile. Amusingly he knew Ros would be turning in her coffin at the sight of them together after all these years.

Embarrassed by what he felt, he told Ruth to head over to Lucas and Tariq, so stop suspicion of their private chat. In reality it was to calm down his warmth and the pulsation he felt; that which made him a man. No one else could do this to him, he knew it, she knew it and it was going to become clear to all that he could not contain his love for her.

Hopefully more if you like?