It was a good ten minutes before either of them spoke. He hadn't been prepared for what she had been about to tell him. Obviously uncomfortable, Fiona was the first to break the silence.
"Look, Harry I..." She trailed off, words failing her. She didn't know what she could say to make this any better. Harry lifted his gaze from the floor and turned to face her.
"How long have you known?" It was the only question floating around his mind. He didn't care about infinite details, or grovelling apologies, he just wanted to make sure she had her facts in the right place.
Fiona turned her head around to face the grid. Everybody seemed so engrossed in their work to even consider the fact she desperately needed a get out clause to avoid this conversation getting too deep too quickly. She had no choice but to confront this head on.
"Ever since I told Adam," she replied honestly.
Harry mimicked Fiona's movements and peered out in the direction of the grid. Ruth was working through her pile of paperwork at ease, a true intelligence analyst he thought, smiling to himself. That's when it hit him. Ruth! The ball of their relationship had just started to roll, and now there was a chance that Fiona's current situation could jeopardise everything he's worked so hard for. He took a deep breath and turned to face Fiona.
"You know I will have to report this, especially as it has been affecting your work ethic in recent months..." Fiona went to open her mouth to respond but Harry quickly pressed on. "However, I will think about what you have just told me and will consider all the available options without getting other services involved. For now, I suggest you take the afternoon off and spend some time catching up on some sleep!"
She smiled gratefully at him as she began to rise and head for the door. Just as she reached for the handle, he gently spoke her name.
"Yes Harry?"
"You're a very brave woman for being open about it."
She chuckled silently to herself.
"It's not bravery Harry, it's guilt."
Harry had waited until Fiona was safely out of the building before contemplating his next course of action. Looking back out onto the grid he found a familiar pair of blue eyes gazing into his. Smiling, he rose from his seat and left the confined walls of his office.
"Ruth," he growled as he approached her desk.
She didn't look up but acknowledged his presence, trying desperately not to let the red flush on her cheeks show.
"I need you on the roof in five minutes, it's important."
She looked up from the file she was reading to gaze at Harry's face, and before she could utter a word in response to Harry's request, she found him striding towards the staircase.
Having watched Fiona flee the grid just minutes before, she hesitantly placed her files in a neat pile on the corner of her desk and grabbed her coat. She'd never fancied herself as a psychologist, but if Harry trusted her enough to talk to her then she was going to be there for him no matter the consequences. Sighing loudly, she turned off the screen of her computer and headed off in search of the roof.
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