Title: SSS - Spooks Secret Santa
Characters: Harry, Ruth, Malcolm, Colin, Zaf, Jo, Adam and Fiona.
Disclaimer: Spooks characters all belong to Kudos, sadly. This is purely for enjoyment...
Synopsis: Totally out of season, I know. But the idea struck... Based off the idea in the tie in book, Harry's Diary, that Harry and Ruth have been exchanging sneaky, but thoughtful birthday presents for the last couple of years, I wondered how that would work with Christmas... This will probably conclude with the Christmas Party, at which point I may well sneak out of canon (and climb a notch on the age rating bedpost as well.)
Briefing Room, Thames House, Dec 1st 2005
"Aaaaand if that's all, let's get to it!" Harry Pearce has only had one cup of tea this morning, and he feels it. There are no immediate emergencies so far; Ruth has gone through the weekly security updates, some of which have caused great humour amongst the team; Jo is beginning to feel a little more at home - and Zaf is certainly helping her there; Adam and Fiona arrived late, slightly rumpled - but grinning. All quiet on the western front.
"Actually..." Harry winces. Malcolm sounds far too chipper for his own good. Chipper shouldn't be allowed before the second cup of tea. "It is that season again, and this year, Colin and I have devised a piece of software to choose the Secret Santa names, instead of the old fashioned 'out of a bag' method. Less chance of tampering." He beams around the table, ostensibly oblivious to the less than positive reaction. "Everyone will find a secure, password locked, message waiting for them on their terminal. Once accessed, the message will self-delete after one minute, so make sure you remember who your intended target is. You have three weeks, we will have the exchange on the morning of the day of the Christmas Party, details of which will be forthcoming."
"Thank you Malcolm. I'm sure the team deeply appreciate the effort you and Colin go to." Harry firmly resists the urge to roll his eyes, twitches ever so slightly, and addresses the room at large. "Now, if that really is all, I have a meeting with the one and only Juliet in half an hour, and I'd like to get my armour plating on." They file out, with varying shades of eagerness. Jo and Zaf seem particularly keen to get to their terminals. Adam is smirking. Fiona looking thoughtful. Ruth's expression suggests that she has not yet forgotten last year's Secret Santa, when Colin got her a robotic dog, with realistic teeth. Fidget hasn't forgotten either.
Cup of tea in one hand, phone wedged between his shoulder and his ear, Harry checks his terminal. Stabs in the password. Stares. Well, this should be more engaging than finding a suitable present for Sam. Ideas start to formulate, and it is only when the voice on the other end of the line has begun to wonder if this is a prank call that he wakes up to reality.
Meanwhile, Jo looks at her monitor in consternation. How the hell is she supposed to get him anything he might possibly like? Of all people! Zaf is grinning to himself and keeps glancing at an inscrutable Adam. Fiona looks frankly unimpressed, and Colin... Colin is in a happy little dream world of his own creation. At his digital vantage point, Malcolm swells with pride. This year, he thinks, he has outdone himself. Then he notices that Ruth hasn't yet opened her instructions. His head poke up - no, she is at her desk. Avoidance. She still hasn't forgiven him for giving her Zoe last time. He smirks to himself. This year, she'll have a lot more fun, or he's missed his mark entirely.