Just a little chapter in between thunder storms.
Eve just stood in her office, staring at her boss, somewhat stunned by M's remark.
"You were planning you're what?" she asked
"I'm sorry, what did you say" replied M as she clearly was neither listening nor paying attention to what she had just said.
"You just said you were planning your wedding. I take it he finally asked you"
"What do you mean finally?" snapped M
"Look. I know it's none of my business..."
"You're damn right it isn't"
"But it is no secret how he feels about you. It's been painfully obvious for quite a while, and if you want to know the truth it is obvious how you feel about him as well" said Eve quite bluntly
"Oh Eve, I'm sorry. I'm a bit out of sorts at the moment and I'm taking it out on you. Please forgive me." Replied M as she turned to walk back in her office with Eve close behind.
"It's alright ma'am. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"I don't think so. I'm afraid I've made rather a mess of the situation at the moment."
"Have you tried talking to James? Never mind that last comment. Of course you did or he wouldn't have stormed out of here"
"Oh Eve. All he wants is a nice, simple wedding with a few friends present, but given my current occupation, that just isn't possible, and I as much as told him that which has now burst his bubble so to speak" Said M leaning back in her chair
"I don't see why it isn't possible, I mean depending on who you invite, we all know what you both do for a living, so I don't see where the problem is?" replied Eve with a confused look
"The problem is with the vows" said M quietly "They will use my legal name…"
"Oh now I get it" interrupted Eve
"I'm glad you do because James doesn't seem to grasp the seriousness of the issue at the moment" replied M sadly
"M give him a little time and he will tumble to that very conclusion all by himself. As an agent he knows your security and safety must come first, but he's not thinking like an agent right now. He's thinking like a man in love." Said Eve trying to be reassuring
"I just wish it was possible to have it both ways" said M as she stared out the window
"What if it was?" said Eve with a curious grin
"What if it was what?" asked M
"What if you could have it both ways, I mean have guest's like James wants and yet not have them hear a word you say"
"I know that look. What did you have in mind?" said M sounding intrigued by Eve's remark
Eve stood up and walked around to stand next to M and leaned down and whispered something that made M's eyes immediately light up as sly smile formed across her face.
"You know. That just may work" said M with the first hint of optimism she had had all day.
"Let me do some checking and I'll get back to you" said Eve as she headed toward the door
"Thank you Eve. You certainly have been a bright spot in this rather disastrous day."
"You're welcome ma'am. If there is anything else I can do just let me know" she replied as she reached the door
"Actually, now that you mention it there is" said M as she got up "Could you find someone for me if I gave you their name and last known address?"
"Now that's a silly question. Isn't that what we do, find people who don't want to be found?" replied Eve with a quizzical look on her face
"Well, yes it is but this wouldn't be for official use so it would have to be done "Under the radar" so to speak"
"No problem. Who are we looking for?"
"Let me get you the information" said M as she flicked on her computer
"I'll get right on it." Said Eve "And ma'am, if you don't mind my saying so I think you should take the afternoon off and go speak to James. I'm sure once he's had time to think he will realize he overreacted and he'll be fine" she said
"Good idea" said M as she grabbed her coat, handbag and James' binder as she headed for the door. "Call me if you need me"
M tried and tried to call James without much success so she decided to just go to his flat and face the music so to speak. She really couldn't blame him for being upset. She had, after all burst his bubble in a manner of speaking and then to top it off she dropped biggest bombshell of her life by admitting that Q was her son. It was only natural that James would be angry, she just hoped that Eve was right and he had calmed down. When she reached the door she could feel a knot beginning to form in her stomach. "Well here goes" she thought as she knocked on the door. As soon as he opened the door M could tell by the rather sullen look on his face that he was still quite angry with her.
"James. May I come in?"
"I'm really not in the mood to talk right now" he said sharply
"That's good because I really don't want you to talk. I want you to listen" she said firmly as she pushed her way in
"What makes you think I want to hear anything you have to say right now" he replied angrily
"I know you're angry with me and you have every right. I handled this whole situation badly and I want to apologize." She said turning to face him
"I'm not angry" he snapped
"Really you could have fooled me" she snapped back
"I'm just disappointed" he said as he went to pour himself a drink
"I see" she said quietly as she sat down on the sofa
"Not with the security thing mind you. After I left I realized that you're right, the whole vow thing does pose a bit of a problem. No, I'm disappointed that after everything we've been through you didn't see fit to tell me about your son, I mean the fact that he's Q for God sake. It is an important little detail you chose to keep from me" he said clearly frustrated as he downed his drink in one gulp
"I never meant to keep that from you"
"So just when were you planning to tell me? At the wedding. This is my daughter Joanna and oh by the way I believe you already know my son Q" he said sarcastically
"James that isn't fair" she retorted angrily
"It's about as fair as the way you actually told me"
"I apologize for telling you the way I did, but you have to understand that like my name, that information is also confidential" she said as she blinked back the tears that were beginning to form
"Confidential from everyone else maybe, but was it really necessary to keep it from me?" he asked sounding hurt "It just made me wonder what else I don't know about you?"
"There is nothing else I can assure you of that" she said flatly "Unless you count the fact that I have been known to have a rather short temper from time to time"
"You don't say" replied James with a slight grin
"Look" she said as she stood and crossed the room to stand in front of him "I'll make you a deal. You pick the Who, and When and I will pick the Where and together we just might be able to have the wedding you want and deserve without disclosing any national secrets. That is unless you've gone off the idea altogether" she said tentatively as she looked up at him
"I take it you have a plan?' he said curiously
"Let's just say that a little bird gave me a brilliant idea of how you…we can have guests at the ceremony without breaking any rules" she said with a mischievous grin
James hesitated a moment before he wrapped his arms around he, pulling her into a tight embrace.
"We could get married on the moon for all I care, as long as I get the girl in the end, that's all that matters to me" he said softly as he leaned down to kiss her gently.
"I do believe we have just survived our first non- work related argument" he replied with a grin as he broke the kiss "But it was worth it" he said as he picked her up and started heading toward the bedroom
"Oh and why is that?" she said with a smile as she laid her head on is shoulder
"Because if this was a work related argument there wouldn't be any make up sex afterward" he replied as he kicked the bedroom door shut.
TO BE CONTINUED...