"It's just the wind Ruth"

"Yes, of course"

He turned to face her. He looked vulnerable, just like their first encounter on the roof of Thames House. Ruth pulled her hand away from his arm hesitantly, secretly hoping for Harry to take her hand in his instead. When he didn't move, she couldn't hide the look of disappointment and turned to stare absent-mindedly out at the London skyline.

"Ruth?"

Harry, noting the look of rejection on Ruth's face, mirrored her position and rested his hand carefully, yet deliberately, just a few centimetres away from hers on the railing.

"Thank you."

At these words, Ruth turned her head abruptly.

"For what?"

Instinctively, Harry edged his hand over hers, his fingers interlocking with hers. He looked up slowly to find her eyes fixed intently on his face.

"For not hating me after everything I have put you through. Ever since you left all those years ago, I dreamed that one day you would return to Thames House... To me." Harry paused. Was he going too far? Was this his attempt at apologising for ruining her happiness with her husband? With her stepson? He took a deep breath, looked out at the view in front of him and continued. "I just never imagined the reunion to have happened in the way that it did. For you to return I had to hand myself in as bait to the Russians and then... And th-hen I had to ru-ruin th-e" Harry choked and moved his hand from on the top of hers and wiped away the tears that were starting to fall.

She knew what he was going to say, and she knew this was his apology for everything that had happened since she had returned. She agreed this was not quite the reunion that she had imagined, but she did not regret leaving her old life behind to back here, in this moment... With him. She turned to face him, and beckoned him to mirror her movements.

"Harry." Her voice was soft, compassionate and he knew in that instant she had forgiven him from the moment Jo had found her on those steps and announced that he had missed her more than anybody on the Grid. She placed her left hand on his arm again and used her other hand to wipe away rogue tears that were finding their way down Harry's cheeks. "Harry, I know that I never made things easy on you after, after that day..." Boy were these memories painful "... But I don't regret a single thing that has happened over the last couple of months and if anything I should be thanking you for not turning your back on me at a time when secretly, I needed you most."

They stood watching each other, trying to read what the other was thinking, unaware they were both finding the courage to word the same feelings that had lingered for the best part of five years. Harry rested his hands on Ruth's waists and went to speak when his pager went off. He cursed inwardly as he pulled the pager out of his pocket.

"Ah, shit" he sighed "I'm needed downstairs... Listen, I, umm." He stopped and gazed at the floor. Ruth placed her hands on his and gently removed them from her waist.

"You better go! Ros and Lucas are counting on you." He smiled, and gave her hands a gentle squeeze before heading for the door. As he reached for the handle he turned back to face her.

"We'll talk later I promise."

And with that, he pulled the door open and closed it carefully behind him.