A tiny chapter to start, inspired by the fact I'm going up to London to see the New Years fireworks this year.
Ruth received a message on her phone and reluctantly tore her eyes away from her computer screen to read it. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw it was from Harry. Meet me up on the roof. Please. H.
Ruth saved her report and locked the CCTV feeds from the London streets before getting her coat and heading up to the roof, as Harry had asked.
She opened the door and saw him looking over the city. Wishing she'd put her scarf on she walked closer to him and noticed several strange things. There were two chairs there, as well as several blankets and a table, on it a bottle of wine. Very confused she watched as he turned around to face her, an almost nervous smile on his face. "Thanks for coming."
"What is all this?" she asked.
"You were working Christmas," Harry said walking towards her. "So was I. We both deserve New Years eve off. I thought… you might like to watch the fireworks over London with me. Hoped, I should say. We should talk."
"Yes we should," she agreed. Very little had been spoken between them since Ilya and Sasha had left the country.
"You can leave," he said quietly. "I'm not going to force my company on you if you don't want it. But if nothing else you deserve New Years off."
"Its not like I have other plans," she said, her lips twitching. "What wine did you think would encourage me to spend time with you?"
"A prosecco," he said, feeling relief as he suddenly felt fairly confident she wasn't going to leave. Ruth sat down on a chair, smiling at him. Harry opened the bottle and poured two glasses. As he handed one to her their fingers brushed and both felt the tiny spark between them. Neither mentioned it as Harry sat down and they both looked up at the sky wondering where to start. This conversation would be important in their relationship, or lack of one and they both could sense that. But neither of them wished to break the silence and the temporary peace between them.