Thank you all for the lovely reviews so far, I'm glad you all approve of the pairing. I'm getting more attached to them every day.

Chapter 3

Eve was sitting quietly as James paced before her, the worry etched on his face and doctors and nurses continued to work around them.

"James, why don't you sit down?"

"I can't, I'm too worried".

"I'm sure he'll be just fine".

"How can you say that, you saw the blood? He should have stayed in the hospital…I never should have been taking care of him. What was I thinking, I'm no nurse, and all I'm good for is hurting people."

"Hey, come on…don't say things like that. You took extremely good care of him."

"Yeah, then why is he back in here then."

Eve was about to respond when the doctor who was attending to Mallory approached them.

"Mr Bond?"

"How is he?"

"He's doing a lot better."

"What happened doctor?" Eve asked.

He has a small infection in his wound, he would have been complaining of a little more pain than he probably should have with his injury."

"He was in pain but he wasn't complaining, insisting he was fine…typical M." James stated.

"We've given him some pain relief and we've repaired his stitches, he's able to go home now."

"Are you sure? What if he has another relapse?"

Eve could sense the worry in James voice, his face not giving much away.

"I can always stay with him if you don't feel able too James."

"What…no. I can do this, I just want to be absolutely sure he should be going home, I don't want him at risk."

"He'll be fine Mr Bond, I promise and here….you can always call me…day or night if you feel something isn't right." He smiled, handing James his card.

"Thank you, I will. Can I see him?"

"Of course, first door at the end of the hall…I need to do my rounds, as I said, call if you need anything."

Thank you doctor?"

"Lambert, Doctor Lambert." He smiled.

"Thank you Doctor Lambert."

Eve stood up and looked at James before smiling a little at him.

"So, would you like me to stay or…"

"No, no it's fine…you should probably get off, let Bill and the others know he's okay…I can take it from here."

"Very well, look about what you were telling me before this happened."

"Forget it, it was probably nothing anyway, just a moment."

"Moments mean everything James, don't pretend it didn't happen. You've been through a lot in the last year or so and losing M the way we did, I know it affected you a lot more than you let on. If there's a chance of something with Mallory and he feels the same, don't deny one another what you really want. You only get so many chances in life; if you don't take them…it's a long time to be unhappy."

"I'm not the best when it comes to relationships Eve; I haven't been in a relationship that lasted longer than a few months, if that."

"Then perhaps it's time for a change in your life, it had to happen some time and perhaps Mallory's the right one to change with, the way you've been with him lately, you've come a long way since M's death…you finally accepted him, clearly in more ways than one." She joked.

"I don't want to mess this up."

Eve moved closer and kissed his cheek before pacing her hand on his chest and looked at him.

"You won't know what will happen unless you're prepared to take the chance, live your life James…with whom ever you wish, we won't judge, you know that."

"This isn't who I thought I was."

"We never know who we really are until we're tested, go see him…look after him and discover one another."

"Thanks Eve."

"I'll let the others know he's okay and if you're both hungry when you get home, just heat up that Chinese okay."

"I will, keep me updated yeah."

"Don't worry, I will. I'll call you later, bye James."

James hugged her before watching Eve walk away.

…James stood in the doorway of Mallory's room, watching the older man closely as he shifted in the bed, a grimace on his face.

"Don't go over doing things Sir, you know what happened the last time." James smiled, as Mallory looked up at him.

"Bond, I thought you'd gone."

"Nope…just going over a few things with your doctor."

James stepped further in to the room, coming over to Mallory's bed…debating whether or not to sit on the edge of the bed. Mallory looked up at him to see hesitation on his Agent's face.

"It's alright, you can sit…I won't bite."

James eyed him closely before taking a seat on the bed, before looking up at his boss.

"So…how do you feel Sir?"

"A lot better than I was a few hours ago."

"How many times did I ask you if you were okay?"

"Bond I…"

"You said you were fine, that you weren't in that much pain…I'm here to take care of you, if you're having pain then you tell me…don't hide it from me."

Mallory could sense the slight anger in James voice as he spoke, running a hand through his hair he tried to sit up a little straighter.

"I'm sorry, you're right…I ought to have told you, please accept my apology."

"Done, now look, Doctor Lambert said you're allowed to go home…providing you take things easy and if you have any more pain, I've to phone him immediately."

"Very well."

"I'll wait outside while you get dressed…unless you need a hand too…"

"I think I'm perfectly capable of dressing myself, but thank you…I won't be long."

James was about to get up when Mallory placed a hand on his wrist, stopping him.

"Look, about what happened earlier…with us…before we were interrupted."

"We'll talk about that later okay, let's get you out of here and back in the comfort of your own home first."

Mallory felt James give his hand a gentle squeeze before getting up and leaving the room.

"So, he'll be alright?"

"The doctor wants him to take things east for a few weeks but he will make a full recovery."

"Thank god for that, I couldn't imagine MI6 losing another Head so soon."

"No…I don't think James would have coped either."

"What's James got to do with it?" Bill asked.

"Oh nothing, forget it."

Eve got up from her desk, pretending to look busy. Bill watched her closely and felt the sudden awkwardness.

"What's going on Eve?"

"I told you…it's not…."

"Right nothing….but, it's something."

"Leave it Bill."

"Oh come on, you know I won't tell anyone…what's happened."

"Let's just say that James has discovered a personal realization and it's unnerving him just a little."

"What are you….oh?" He said, clicking when he Eve's eyes went wide.

"Don't tell anyone, will you, it's for them to work out between them."

"Is it a thing with him and the heads of MI6?"

"We know he loved the previous M but I think he saw her more as a mother fig…"

"Eve no, he loved her….truly loved her. Trust me; I was around all the years you weren't."

"But he never told her…why?"

"She was married, and when Arthur died three years ago, she closed herself of from…well everyone. It took her a long time to recover from the loss, I know James dropped by her place now and again to keep an eye on her, make sure she was looking after herself."

"Breaking in or welcomed."

"What do you think?" He laughed. "She was always angry at him when he did it but I think deep down she was comforted by the fact that he cared about her. I'm not sure when she began to feel the way he did for her, but you could see it…the way she looked at him, protected him from the PM, she'd do anything for him, she never would for any other Agent but James…I think she loved him just as much as he loved her."

"And both too stubborn to tell one another."

"And now it's too late."

"I do hope he doesn't let this moment pass him by, I know it's stupid but I do worry about him, he's spent so much of his life alone."

"If it's meant to happen it will, but neither you nor I can do anything…it has to be down to them."

"You're right, I know you are."

"Do fancy something to eat, it's late and I haven't eaten all day?"

"You know what, I would love too."

Bill extended his arm to Eve, who took it willingly and allowed Bill to lead her out.

James unlocked the front door and helped Mallory inside, the heat hitting them when they entered the hallway. James closed the door behind them and stayed close to Mallory as he walked slowly to the sitting room and tried to sit down.

"Here, let me help you Sir."

"Bond would you please stop." He grimaced as James slowly lowered him down to the sofa.

"Sorry, Gareth."

"That's better."

"Now, are you hungry…you should eat something."

"I wouldn't mind a sandwich; I don't think I could stomach Chinese this late at night."

"Cheese and tomato okay?"

"Perfect….James before you do that, do you think we might have that chat."

James stopped dead, turning to face the older man.

"Gareth I…"

"Please, sit down."

James nodded before taking a seat beside Mallory, turning to face him.

"About earlier, I got a little emotional I suppose when I talked of Victor and I'm not entirely sure who made the first move but I'm sorry…it was unprofessional and I…."

"God you sound just like her." James laughed, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry…who?"

"Olivia…the slightest hint of any feelings were always unprofessional."

"James I…"

"Do you regret what happened between us earlier this evening, yes or no…straight answer?"

"Straight answer…then I would have to say no, no I don't regret it."

James looked up into Mallory's eyes, making the older man pay attention.

"I don't regret it either, a friend told me today that you only get so many chances in life…other than Olivia, there isn't many people I allow to get too close to me, but I allowed you too get close…closer than I ever imagined I could. There's something about you, something I'm drawn to and I can't even begin to explain it, but I want too."

Mallory felt the way James lay his hand on his thigh before he leaned in close and placed a chaste kiss to Mallory's lips.

"For now…allow me to look after you while you get better and we'll see what happens, is that okay with you?"

"It sounds like a very good idea."

"Good, why don't I go make you that sandwich then?"

"That would be good, thank you."

"I won't be long."

James got up and made his way in to the kitchen, leaving Mallory sitting on the couch, the heavy feeling in his chest leaving him.

To Be Continued…