For a big operation they had managed to successfully steer their way around each other for several days. But now the Prince had arrived in London, Lucas was embedded with his entourage, as was Beth with the Duchess.

The Grid was a hub of activity and yet with core staff in the field Harry and Ruth could not avoid each other for much longer.

The door opened before the cursory knock.

"Harry, I've found something," she thrust towards him a surveillance photo.

"Mo Fethani. He has links to several of the factions in the middle east and it seems he entered the country three days before Hamed. Special branch spotted him in Ealing last night."

"Who's he with?" he held up the photo.

"His girlfriend, Ella Shiring.'

He raised an eyebrow and Ruth took the picture.

"She's white," he said.

"I think we need to watch him."

"He may simply be in London for her, not Hamed. He clearly doesn't have a problem with mixed relationships."

"Or he may be planning an attack on the Cathedral?"

She stared at him challengingly, "It's not about romance, Harry."

"But isn't that what started all of this…situation?"

His eyes were unblinking in the challenge. She matched his gaze.

"Fethani's girlfriend converted to Islam two months ago."

Harry looked away, "Fine. Add him to Tariq's list and get surveillance."

She turned and left.

She wanted to shake him. to shout at him, to shun him. Instead she found herself two hours later on the roof with him.

"You said we would move on from this," she stated simply.

He gazed out over the horizon.

"It was easier to say than to practice," he answered eventually.

She leant beside him, maintaining a discreet distance. Neither spoke for a considerable while.

"Would you try?" she asked quietly.

"'No' was hard to hear, Ruth," he whispered, still not looking at her, "but you know what was worse? Been told that it could have been a thousand times 'yes'."

He turned to her, his hand briefly touching his chest, "Any more salt you want to rub in?"

"I'm sorry, Harry. Truly I am."

"But you're still of the same opinion?"

She nodded slowly but with certainty.

He looked back to the skyline with a resigned smile, "then we do indeed move on, Ruth."

He felt the gentlest of touches on his arm.

"I miss what we had Harry. And I hate how we've been."

The touch left him, the contact was gone.

She turned away across the roof to the door.

"I'm not sure I know what we had, Ruth," she heard from behind her.

He rose from his leaning position to stand and face her. "But I'll try. I promise you, I'll try … given all my limitations."

"Which I know more than anyone?" she smiled softly.

"Which you know more than anyone."

And with a last lingering look they broke apart.