We still don't own anything which, as the innuendo in this thing gets progressively worse, is probably a good thing for all concerned ;)


Settling themselves around the main hub of electrics in its futuristic looking brushed metal casing, Harry waited for Ruth to grab hold of the torch before taking a closer look at what was in front of him. His hand found the isolator switch for the hub, and switched it to 'off'.

Making a 'hmmmm' noise, and pulling the pout she'd so recently imagined, he opened up the case of tools and began to undo the screws that held the casing together, placing them safely in the lid of the tool box. "Keep the damn thing still Ruth" he snapped a little too edgily, as her torch light began to stray closer towards his face and chest than the area he was working on. "Oh shag, wrong side of the casing," he muttered, not finding what he was looking for, "it'll have to go back on."

Outside of their wooden bubble, the Grid was starting to fill for the morning, and Zaf poked his head around the door of the meeting room, early – for once – for the morning's briefing. Shaking his head, he turned to leave when he found it empty, but then shook his head harder and wiggled a finger in his ear when he convinced himself he heard a noise.

"I need the screws back."

"What?"

Zaf could definitely hear voices, but where they were coming from and what they were saying was a mystery. Stepping further inside, he nearly choked when he both simultaneously realised where the voices were coming from, what they were saying and, worst of all, who was saying it.

"I said, I'm looking for a good screw."

"Oh, look no further." Ruth handed Harry the small piece of metal, but an oblivious Zaf was already gesturing around the door for others to come and hear this for themselves.

"I hope you'll be happy with my handiwork when this is all over," Harry muttered, trying to appease Ruth who was fidgeting anxiously, and swaying the torch again.

"Are you sure you know how to do this?" She knew it was getting closer to presentation time, and didn't want any hitches.

Adam and Jo had just entered, followed soon after by Malcolm, and were shocked to hear Harry reply in a gruff tone:

"It's been a while, Ruth, but I don't think it's something you forget."

Four pairs of eyes widened as they each registered the implications of Harry's words.

Taking in the clothing that appeared to be flung on top of the table and noting the discarded shoes on the floor, Zaf nudged Adam and grinned.

"Told you they were at it" he whispered "That's fifty quid you owe me"

"Ssssssshh, we don't know that for definite" he replied quietly, although he had to admit that he was clutching at straws. The evidence was pretty overwhelming so far.

The hushed whispers continued as a brief silence took hold under the table. Harry had thought the problem was going to be simple – probably just a lose connection somewhere – but nothing was working still. He was now attempting to grasp at a wire buried deep within a tangle of cables, and was brandishing a pair of pliers as if he was Edward Scissor hands, with the screwdriver he had previously used clamped in his teeth and his other hand trying to untangle the other wires.

"It's just not happening," he huffed having spat out the screwdriver, and eight ears pricked. "I don't know what's up."

"Well if you let me have your tool then we could get things going, trust me, I know how to get things back on track." Ruth could clearly see he didn't have enough hands to keep hold of the cable they needed whilst freeing it from the rest, and thought it would be best if she took the pliers from his hand to keep the cable they'd identified in position as Harry worked to free it. On the other side of the table, however, Malcolm was blushing furiously and was starting to shift from foot to foot at the images Ruth's offer had created.

"Ok, buts it's delicate, be gentle with it."

"I think I can cope," she chastised, rolling her eyes. Zaf smirked and stifled a laugh.

"Listen, do you want my tool or not."

"Yes"

"Right, here then"

"I can't see, it's dark over here," her torch light only illuminated the case of electronics until now she had set it on the floor.

"Hold out your hands and feel for it, yes, there you go." Adam and Jo's jaws dropped in unison and Zaf's eyes widened in a mixture of horror and fascination.

Ruth took the pliers from his and held them steady around the wire. "Got it."

Harry felt her take them and watched in the torch light as the wire was held stable, enabling him to work around it. She watched with a slight admiration as he skilfully moved other wires and parts to reveal the wire he was after.

"Right, now hold the shaft firmly" she gripped a little tighter, knowing what he wanted her to do, and began to pull the wire outwards so that they could examine it. "Don't just tug it Ruth," he cried, as she got a little carried away, "it's a delicate piece of equipment…ah yes that's it, oh fantastic. Right, now leave it in my capable hands while you strip. Come on, take it off."

"There's no need to get snappy Harry. I knew I should have asked Malcolm."

Malcolm finally gave in at these last words, and turned to leave the room, watched by Jo who was sorely tempted to follow. Adam, on the other hand, put a firm hand on Zaf's shoulder, as he realised the younger male was instinctively drifting towards the hatch end of the desk.

Ruth fingers worked nimbly, using a Stanley knife and another, smaller pair, of pliers to strip the wire of its casing as Harry had the pliers back off her and held it steady. "Nearly stripped," she muttered out loud.

"Magnificent," he exclaimed, feeling they were finally progressing. However, seeing her struggling to remove the last bit of casing from the end he moved the angle of the wire and pulled it against her pliers to help.

"Ah yes. Tweak it, yes that's it," she cried enthusiastically.


Now that Harry seems to be pressing all the right buttons, see if you can...go on, leave us a review!