Disclaimer: Still don't own them. See previous

Hiding in Plain Sight

Viktor Aleshki looked out over the offices of Delaney and Sons. Richard Hemming sat behind him on one of the more comfortable chairs in the office as James Delaney spoke. Viktor gave the appearance that he was barely listening; Delaney continued to plough on regardless.

"So, the consignment will be in Dover by 21:00 Friday. It will then be brought to our warehouses in North London for distribution" Hemming nodded as Delaney continued. Aleshki smiled

"Ah, and while our consignment is being delivered, we will be having fun as your workmen toil away on our behalf" his Russian accent plain as he smiled. Delaney approached the office window. Both men were watching the blonde in the skirt suit cross to the photocopier.

"Who is she?" Aleshki asked as Delaney followed his gaze.

"Oh the new girl? That's Rachel my new PA. She started last week, very good at her job." he folded his arms as Aleshki turned to him.

"Is she? She looks very familiar." he held his colleague's gaze for a second before turning back to the window where he could see Ros chatting to a younger man.

"She's worked in offices all her life, not the brightest spark but works hard. Nice girl. Engaged I think, she said that she may bring her fella on Friday to the Ball. You can meet her properly then." Aleshki nodded. He knew he had seen Rachel before, years previously but couldn't place her.

"Friday." he smiled as Hemming finally spoke.

"Can we get on please gentlemen" he was growing impatient, Jane had called to warm him of the events of her meeting on the Embankment. She was not happy and had made herself clear when she had spoken to him. Whatever happened, Section B or D as she had now learned they were called would have to be kept away from the proceedings. Revenge on a cheating ex husband was one thing, making him look a complete idiot was another but making money while you were in the process of destroying his career and second marriage? That was priceless. Hemming understood Jane's desire to make money from their scheme but the vendetta against Harry and his team was purely for entertainment value as far as he was concerned. He hoped Jane realised that too.

Xxxxxxxxx

Ros knew she was being watched. The men in the office were not exactly covert in the way they stared through the office windows. She did her best to pretend she hadn't noticed, chatting away to Ian, the office junior while she photocopied the weekly staff rota, thankful that she didn't really do this for a living .Ros knew she'd have died of boredom after the first day. She glanced up to see Viktor Aleshki staring at her and turned her head. "Shit Shit Shit" she muttered under her breath. If Aleshki was here, if he recognised her then her cover was blown. Sighing as she pretended to swear at a non existent paper cut she noticed young Ian staring at her as if she was insane.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Harry stormed across the Grid as he returned form his weekly meeting with the JIC. Without even raising her head Ruth knew he was not happy. Zoe glanced across at her as Ruth merely turned her head away. Things were strained since her meeting with Jane. Nothing had come between them before, even after the trouble surrounding her return from self imposed exile she hadn't felt so far away from Harry as she did now. It hurt, but she had to concentrate on the job at hand.

"Ruth?" Zoe could see something wasn't right. Ruth shook her head as she continued to tap away at the computer.

"I'm his wife, not his personal secretary I don't know what has happened. It seems he doesn't tell me that much anymore" Ruth didn't even meet Zoë's eyes as Zoe sighed. Ruth sounded as if she was on the verge of tears.

"I thought you said you and Harry had sorted everything out after you met with Jane?" Zoe watched as Ruth nodded once.

"We did. Well I thought we did. I didn't mean to push him away. Oh God Zoe. I'm making such a mess of things" Ruth could feel the tears spring to her eyes. Zoe looked towards Harry's office to see him pacing up and down barking in to his phone, apparently unaware of Ruth and Zoe chatting.

"Why?" Zoe sighed as Ruth glared at the computer screen as if it held the answer to all her problems.

"We talked properly Zoe. He never told me about his marriage before. I knew it had been difficult. He never told me about all the affairs. I knew about Juliet." she paused as Zoe smiled.

"God, we all know about the Wicked Witch of Whitehall!" Zoe tried and failed to cheer Ruth up.

"Yeah, but the others? I know Jane cheated with the kid's headmaster and then left Harry for his best friend but he had flings too. A woman in Russia, Tessa." she shrugged

"Tessa? Really?" Zoe wrinkled her nose at the thought of the former chief of Section K. "Ruth. Harry will never cheat on you. You know that." she held Ruth's gaze as she shrugged.

"Do I? I know he expects me to disappear at any time so why wouldn't he?" Ruth tapped a few more keys on the computer.

"Ruth you are being an idiot. Adam told me how you left. He told me what a mess Harry was. Not just immediately after you left but until you came back. It was like a part of him died. Never even looked at another woman. He loves you Ruth. Always has. If you can't see that, then you are no where near as intelligent as I thought you were." Zoe pushed her chair away from her desk as Tariq bounded towards them.

"Guess who is going to be a bar man at the Easter Annual Ball?" Tariq was very pleased with himself as Ruth shook her head.

"Oh Zaf and I will be there too. All these functions use waiters and waitress, so the three of us will be there to keep an eye on Ros and Lucas" she smiled at Tariq as Harry exited his office.

"Right, Briefing Room now!" he barked as Adam and Lucas entered the Grid. The whole team made their way towards the entrance of the Briefing Room as Ruth and Zoe briefly glanced at each other.

Xxxxxxxxx

Harry was slightly calmer than when he had first returned from Whitehall. He took his seat at the head of the table as Zoe began passing files around to Ruth and the men that had taken their seats.

"Please, someone tell me something uplifting" Harry sighed as Malcolm took a deep breath.

"The Ball is apparently not much more than a façade for Delaney to wine and dine prospective investors. I have managed to secure bugs in the bar, ball room and in a number of hotel rooms. Specifically those that will be used by Fitzpatrick, Delaney and Aleshki" he folded his hands on the table as Zaf spoke.

"Zoe is going to waitress there while Tariq runs the bar. I'm going to be outside in the van listening with Malcolm." Zoe's head snapped round.

"I thought you were in side with me?" her voice raised an octave.

"Can't. Aleski will recognise me straight away. I was on the team that arrested him for drugs trafficking in to the UK in 2001. Surprised Ros hasn't pulled out." He avoided Lucas' eyes as he spoke.

"Why?" Harry had a feeling he knew what Zaf was going to say but it was Ruth that filled the silence.

"Because Ros worked for MI6, she was on the same team as Zaf and in 2001 she was the arresting officer. If Aleshki recognises Ros." she let the thought hang in mid air as Harry closed his eyes.

"He'll kill her" Lucas pushed his chair away from the table before storming out. Adam rose to his feet, ready to defend Ros' ability as an undercover officer as Harry stopped him.

"Let him go Adam. He's right. These are very dangerous people. We use the Ball to get Ros out of there, we go after the illegal arms some other way." The remaining members of the team sat in silence for a moment until Tariq spoke up.

"We could always trace the money. Find the money, find the person selling this stuff to Delaney? Seems to me he is just the go between for the Russian bloke and the terrorists. Find the money, find the terrorist?" he looked around the table as Ruth and Zoe smiled.

"Boy wonder does it again" Harry smiled as Tariq shrugged.

"First we get Ros Meyers out. She may already be in danger if Aleshki has been to the office. No one rests until this is over" Harry stood as his team began to depart. Ruth was as usual the last to leave. Pausing with her hand on the door handle she turned. Suddenly Harry looked smaller and more depressed than she had ever seen him.

"Harry?" she closed the door again as she turned.

"Um? Yes Ruth. Was there anything else you wanted to say?" he sighed, he didn't want another argument. After talking to Ruth on the roof he had thought she was calmer, that she understood but the atmosphere at home over the last two days had been verging on the icy. He didn't know what he could do to make her see that Jane was trying to stir things up, that he would never treat her as badly as he had treated Jane.

"Yes Harry. There was actually." Ruth walked across the room. At least she sounds more like her normal self Harry thought. He didn't dare meet her gaze as she stood inches away from him. She rested one hand on his shoulder and the other on his face as she turned him towards her. Harry closed his eyes briefly, it still amazed Ruth that she could have this affect on him.

"I'm sorry. I've been an idiot" she kissed him chastely as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Ruth, I love you" he kissed her again as she nodded.

"I know. I said I was an idiot" she smiled as Harry pulled back. "We get Ros home tomorrow night. Then we get this operation over with. The less I have to do with Jane the better I think." Harry tightened his grip on her waist as she spoke. His fingers were almost bruising but Ruth really didn't care.

"I can't help thinking there is more to this than an arms deal. We stop dozens of illegal deals a year this one feels different" he sighed as Ruth rested her forehead on his.

"Because Jane and Richard are involved in it?" she sighed as he nodded.

"Because I know Richard, he is a sly old sod that will do anything to make money. Even if it means people getting hurt." Ruth watched as Harry sighed. He didn't trust any of the players in this game either.

"Ok, so we do as Tariq suggested. Get Ros out and get after them" he kissed her again as Ruth smiled

"Oh and Harry?" he stepped back as she smiled.

"I love you too. And I'm not going anywhere" she crossed the room to the door,

"Yes you are. Tomorrow night, we are going to that Ball." Harry saw Ruth roll her eyes as she pulled the door open only to be greeted by Adam.

"Ah, Ros just text Lucas. You may want to read this." he shoved Lucas' phone in to Ruth's hand as she read the text.

"Oh no" she passed the phone to Harry. "Where is Lucas?" she looked past Adam in to the main Grid.

"Arranging his legend for tomorrow night. He's worried" Adam saw Harry's face pale as he read the text message.

"COVER ?BLOWN. EXIT NEEDED. WEAPONS NUCLEAR GRADE. MAX 24HR B4 2 DANGEROUS TO STAY".

author's note. I promise this is still the happyish fic, but Jane is still going to be causing trouble and Ros has to get away from Delaney and the others. Thanks for all the reviews. Please let me know what you think. Oh, for those of you that think Ruth is out of character sorry but she would have had t toughen up in her time away. Please review x