Finch limped up the steps to the library Grace's hand in his. It was quite a trek up those stone steps, since his injury it was one that tired him and made his scarred muscles ache but he did it anyway. Every time he reached the top he thought of the good it did him. It wasn't very well lit but it was lit well enough to see. Grace walked the steps with him, she didn't rush ahead. Bear had run ahead of them and was waiting patiently at the top for them, panting slightly.

'I walk past here most weeks, I thought it was abandoned.' Said Grace

'I brought the whole building, I didn't want anyone close to the Machine in case they found out or they were killed.' At the top of the steps they stopped and Finch looked at her. 'Officially, this place is inhabitable but because I own it they won't knock it down. No one knows we are here.'

'I won't tell anyone.'

Finch pulled the metal fence across letting Bear run in and to his bed where he laid down. Grace entered, she slowly walked to a stop, gazing up and around the room and the books. She walked over to the book shelves and ran her fingers along the books, she paused on Sense and Sensibility. She'd always loved books; even more so after Harold. They allowed her to escape.

'You still have a copy.'

Finch smiled. Grace continued exploring the shelves and the computer. She came to a sudden stop and her smile dropped from her face. Finch rushed to her side and saw Mr Reese sat in his chair with his legs crossed, sceptically eyeing up Grace.

'Mr Reese, this is Grace. Grace this is Mr Reese, he helps me.'

'John.' He paused and looked at Finch. 'What happened to keeping a secret?'

'Wait… you're that Detective, Detective Stills. You came to my house and asked about Harold…'

John smiled thinly. 'She's good Finch.'

Grace looked at Finch. 'What is going on?'

'In John's quest to find out more about me and my past, he followed me. I used to sit in the park across the road and watch. John's ex CIA so clearly recognised what I was doing. He posed as a Detective thinking he'd find me.' Finch paused and looked around the vast room. 'This is where we get the numbers the Machine gives us. I have access to all the feeds I need: Police, finance, employment anything. I use my computer and software skills to do background searches and John, goes and deals with the perpetrators. We save people Grace. The Machine gives us numbers of people that are either about to be murdered or those who are going to murder someone. We work in secret.' Said Finch. 'Please Grace, there are people out there who want to open the Machine and find it's whereabouts. This is why the pier was bombed and why I left. I chose the machine over you and I shouldn't have.'

Grace stepped closer to Harold and rested a hand on Harold's cheek and kissed him. 'You chose to save people.'

'I loved you, I broke your heart. I should have chosen you.'

The computer beeped and Harold sighed.

'A number?' asked Grace,

Finch nodded and made his way to the computer and sat down. He played the keyboard like a piano and soon came up a montage of pictures and records of a young Chinese lady called Hay-Lin Bo.

'One Hay-Lin Bo, 26 years old. Chinese heritage from Shenyang north east of Beijing. She is unmarried and working for The New York Times. She has been there for 4 years, one of the hardest workers in her office, obviously married to her job.'

'A lot like someone I know.' Teased John.

Finch shuddered at the work 'marriage' especially with Grace in the room. No here, but man, he did owe her. In the midst of Finch's thinking, John came and stood behind Finch, resting his hands on the back of the chair. He glanced at John's muscular hands so close to his scarred neck.

'I'll follow her, see if she's in anything too deep.'

'Can I help?' asked Grace.

Both men looked at her, puzzled.

'It's dangerous Grace; I don't want you to get hurt again.' Said Finch, looking back at his computer. He couldn't look her in the eye and deny her something. He'd do anything to make her happy and let her be the free spirit she is, but he didn't want to put her in danger. He didn't want to lose her. He stopped those thoughts immediately. No.

'I could get a job there and watch her from inside the workplace. She's a journalist, can be a very dangerous job. She's unmarried, its unlikely to be anyone outside her job.'

'Grace…' Harold started.

'Don't treat me like I'm made out of glass.' Snapped Grace. 'I have survived the last few years, alone and working for these people.' Finch looked down at his keyboard guilty, Grace's eyes widened. 'You got me those jobs didn't you?' he nodded. Grace hesitated as she processed this new information, finally she spoke. 'You were looking after me?' Finch looked up at Grace, she smiled back at him. 'Thank you.'

Finch smiled. 'Ok, I'll make a new identity for you to keep you safe. I'll also give you an ear piece so that we can talk to each other. I'll break into the CCTV system so that I can always see you as well and I'll track you through your phone.'

'That's a little over the top Finch?' asked John, the same tone of voice as before.

Finch jumped up as quickly as he could and turned around to face John. Even though he was a few inches shorter than John, the unexpectedness of the movement had thrown him slightly. 'I am not losing her again.'

John stared down at Finch, the fire burning behind his eyes. He spoke in a low and dangerous voice, 'Send me her home and work address. I'll update you later.' John walked out, not looking back. Harold waited until he could hear his footsteps no more. He looked at Grace.

'I'm sorry, I don't want to lose you again.'

'I understand, but I'm not made out of glass Harold.'

'John's not normally like this.'

'He's a troubled man, he's seen and done some very bad things. He's fought in many places and done many things darker than black ops. He's just adjusting, he lost the woman he loved too and he blames himself. They paused.

'This cover ID then, I sometimes used the name Grace Ellsworth.'

Finch smiled at her and sat back down. 'Grace Ellsworth it is then. Ok, you're a journalist.' He pushed his chair back and opened one of the drawers and took out a bank card and gave it to Grace. 'Use this; any transactions will not be traced. It also has all the money you'll need.'

'I never loved you for your money Harold. The money doesn't matter to me.'

'That's why I love you.' He smiled at up at her sweetly, the love shining in his eyes. He looked back at the screen and typed. 'You are working as a junior journalist in the same office as Hay-Lin. Make friends with her; see if you can work on the same projects. I'll give you bugs to plant and talk to through how to clone phones etc. I'll have eyes on you so can guide you if you need it. But before all that, Mrs Ellsworth…' Grace loved the way 'Mrs' rolled off his tongue. 'A change of wardrobe?' he suggested.

Grace giggled and kisses Finch. She'd missed his playfulness.

'I'll always be here watching and listening, keeping you safe.'

Grace kissed him again and happily walked to the steps and left. Finch watched her go, he wanted to keep her safe but she'd always been a free spirit and he vowed never to cage her. But John hadn't taken this well. There had been times when John had fallen asleep on the sofa and talked in his sleep. It was always about Jessica – how much he loved her, how different things would be. John missed Jessica, and Grace's return into his life had been a lot to cope with and adapt to, he just hoped that they could move past this.