So... It's been a long time. I am very sorry to everyone who has been waiting for another chapter, I hope you enjoy this belated offering. It has been a hell of a year for me: I went back to university, quit university, got into a music conservatoire, moved back home... All in all, circumstances not really conducive to writing. But I finally got my act together and wrote this, so enjoy!

A lifetime of paranoia had influenced Harry and Ruth's choice of honeymoon destination. Both were far too well versed in Sod's Law to head abroad, knowing that if they did, something disastrous would happen back at home. Therefore, they had decided on the less exotic but no less beautiful and romantic Lake District. They were staying in a small cottage at the side of Ullswater and in the three days that they had been there, they had been on a walk ("Gently rolling hills, my arse," Harry had complained as they puffed their way up a steep slope), gone sailing on the lake, and, Ruth's favourite, headed to Weatherigg's animal sanctuary in Penrith where they had fed mini donkeys and been followed around by a little goat. For the first time in many months, possibly years, the two of them felt truly relaxed. The fresh air and beautiful scenery was the perfect antidote to the hectic and polluted life they lived in London.

That night, they had decided to drive to a pub in Glenridding. The evening air was warm so they sat outside. From their seats they could see the looming mound of Helvellyn above them.

"This is lovely, isn't it," Ruth sighed as a waiter brought them their drinks. "Wild countryside, fresh air, not a terror threat in sight."

Harry laughed and raised his glass in a toast. "And, of course, the most beautiful woman in the world."

Ruth blushed scarlet and smiled almost shyly at the compliment. "It hasn't quite sunk in yet that we're married. It just seems so wonderful that it has to be a dream."

"I know. I've loved you for so long that I can't believe that we're finally together." They smiled and held each other's gaze for a while. Eventually, Harry raised his glass. "To a lifetime of happiness together."

Ruth clinked her glass against her husband's. "To us."

xxx

In London, things were far less peaceful.

"Callum, what have you done with my report?!"

The techie in question glanced over at Erin who appeared to be almost apoplectic. "What report? I haven't done anything."

Erin gripped the edge of her desk, willing herself not to strangle the annoying young officer. "The report that I put on my desk not five minutes ago, which has now disappeared. I know you took it. Please, stop being so damn childish and give back the bloody report!"

Callum sighed. "Erin, I didn't take your report. I haven't left my desk for at least an hour. It's probably just underneath a file."

"It's not underneath a file, Callum! I know that I put it on the..."

Callum raised his eyebrows as Erin trailed off. "Find it?"

She slowly exhaled, counting to ten in her head. "Yes. I apologise Callum," she said through gritted teeth.

Dimitri chuckled under his breath at the smug look on Callum's face and the furious one on Erin's. He grabbed a stapler and held it up like a microphone. "Mr. Reed, how does it feel to be exonerated for this heinous crime?"

Callum laughed, then schooled his face into a serious expression. "Well, it's been a tough couple of minutes, but I'm just glad that justice has prevailed in the end. I'd like to thank everyone for standing by me... Hey!" He ducked as Erin swiped a file at his head, finally laughing along with her colleagues.

The amusement dissipated at the appearance of a harassed looking young man. Callum stood, recognising him as one of the Ilya Gavrik's assistants. He had never seen the man look less than perfectly groomed; now his tie hung loose, the top button of his shirt undone, his jacket slung over one arm and his shirt untucked.

"Andrei? What's going on?" he asked.

"Callum, Minister Gavrik is missing."

"What?!" Callum exclaimed. He took a step forward. "What happened? How long has he been missing?"

Andrei looked uncomfortable and Callum remembered that the young assistant was not as fluent in English as Ilya and Sasha. "Erin, she talk small Russian," he said in broken Russian. Sasha had been trying to teach him Russian with great patience and little success.

"What happened, Andrei?" Erin asked gently, recognising her cue.

"I don't know, exactly. He was due to have a meeting with the Home Secretary this morning but he didn't turn up. We contacted his hotel but they haven't seen him since last night."

"Have you told Sasha?" Erin questioned, unsure as to why Andrei was contacting MI5 and not the FSB.

Andrei bit his lip. "Sasha seems to have gone missing as well. He hasn't gone to the FSB office for two days."

Erin frowned. "Dimitri, Callum, conference room. Now." She herded Andrei towards the conference room and DImitri and Callum followed. Once the door was shut and their conversation guarded from prying ears she rounded on Andrei. "Why were we not informed of Sasha's disappearance earlier? Are the FSB informed?"

Andrei hesitated as he tried to find the correct English words to answer the angry MI5 officer. "We thought that Sasha was perhaps on an investigation and undercover. But with Minister Gavrik missing, it is too much of a coincidence. I told the FSB. They said to notify MI5, they want cooperation on this. They wish me to be a liaison."

Erin bowed her head as she thought over the situation. She sighed. "Dimitri, I want you to call Harry. Tell him what has happened and that we need him here as soon as is humanly possible. Callum, go with Andrei to the FSB offices. Work with their technical officers to track Ilya Gavrik's movements, figure out when this happened. We will assume that finding Ilya will lead us to Sasha; he will be too difficult to track. We need this resolved quickly, or else we could end up with a major diplomatic incident on our hands. I will notify the Home Secretary." She looked around the room, seeing her own concerns reflected in each face. "Let's go."

If anyone is still reading this after the lengthy delay, please leave a review. I promise another chapter soon now that my writing mojo has returned!