"Hey, is that Harry Pearce?" she said as he came down the stairs looking considerably more like himself. It wasn't the suited and booted Harry she was used to, but an altogether more casual version in jeans and a loose, open necked blue shirt.
"I think so," he said with a slightly embarrassed and lopsided smile, "Will I do, now?"
She was sorely tempted to reach out and stroke his newly smooth, shaved skin. "Yes, Harry, you'll do. Now sit down and eat something."
They ate in near silence. It was not uncomfortable and she wanted to give him time and space.
She took the plates away and brought him a cup of tea as he sat back on the sofa.
"Feeling a bit more human, yet?" she smiled warmly.
"Ruth, you really shouldn't be here. I know you know Albany wasn't real but there's still the inquiry…"
"No Harry, there's no inquiry, not anymore."
He looked at her, confused.
"But, I don't under…"
"Do you trust me, Harry"" She interrupted.
"Implicitly."
"Then tell me what you want."
He opened his mouth but nothing came out. He wasn't really sure what she was asking him and she knew it.
"Ok, forget the inquiry, forget Albany, forget all the trouble you're in. Pretend none of that had happened."
He nodded.
"Now, tell me what you want."
"I want to go back to work."
"Anything else?"
"I want…to sleep."
"I can see that."
"I want the team to not look at me like I'd disappointed them, betrayed their trust."
"They will. They do, Harry."
"I….I want to believe Lucas was still a good man."
"I think the part we knew for many years was."
A pause.
"Anything else?"
He looked away.
"Anything else at all? Whatever it is?"
He hesitated.
"Harry?"
"I want you to look at me like you used to..before..before Cotterdam" he said and finally dared to look her in the eye.
"I'm not sure I can quite do that, I'm not the same person and neither are you."
She'd had lost his brown eyes, they were cast down again.
"Anything else, Harry?"
"No."
"You sure?"
"Yes. Enough now."
"There must be something else you want?"
"No. Nothing."
"You want nothing more?"
"NO! "
"Nothing you want….from me?"
"NO!"
"Are you sure? You must want something, Harry?"
"I want you, Ruth!" he shouted it at her and then realising what he had done, what he'd said, he dropped his head back to the safety of his hands and muttered "I want you, I've only ever wanted you."
She resumed her knelt position on the floor before him. She took his hands once more and coaxed them from his face, kissing his palms.
"Harry, do you know why I'm here?"
He shook his head.
"I'm here because I can see clearly now. I can see so clearly that I can't understand how I couldn't see it before."
"I don't want to see clearly, Ruth, so please just pass me the whiskey and go."
"I can do that, Harry, if you want me to," he nodded, "or I can stay here and make you believe how much I love you."
She felt, rather than heard him catch his breath.
"Which would you prefer?"
"You're full of questions tonight, Ruth"
"Actually, I'm full of answers, if you'd only listen."
"So about the whiskey?" he said and finally she saw the glimmer of a spark in his eyes.
"Is that your choice, Harry?"
"I was going to say that I think I've had enough for tonight."
"I see," she said and tried not to smile.
"So, how do you love me, Ruth? Like a friend, a boss or a colleague?"
"No, I love you like a woman loves a man, I love you like you are the greatest and best part of me, I love you like I've never loved anyone else. Is that enough for you, Harry?"
He was fixed upon her and he did not move, didn't dare to speak, in fact he doubted if he was truly sober.
"You don't believe me, but one day you might and when you do you might ask me to marry you again and then I'd…."
"Marry me, Ruth?"
She laughed and the hope in his face stalled.
"I would love to marry you, Harry Pearce."
He still didn't move.
"But the inquiry and Albany and they won't let us be together."
"They can't stop us", she stroked his face.
"But the Home Secretary…."
"Is on our side,"
He still didn't move.
"In fact, he's now your biggest fan." Ruth was smiling, "there's no more inquiry and you're expected back at work on Monday and as for us, well, our relationship is none of their concern. They can't touch us."
"How?"
"Let's just say the HS's private life is not quite as transparent and pure as he'd like people to believe."
"Ruth, you're blackmailing the Home Secretary?"
"No. The deal is done. I have blackmailed the Home Secretary."
And now he laughed and it was truly like music to her ears.
"I love your laugh" she said simply.
"I love you," he said and stopped laughing. "I've never said it out loud before. I love you, Ruth. Marry me. Marry me because I love you."
She smiled "I think that whiskey's gone to your ears. I've already said yes."
"Say it again"
"Yes, Harry I'll marry you."
"Say it again"
"Yes, Harry, yes."
He started kissing her. It was worth the wait. My god, it was worth the wait.
"Oh yes." she gasped.
Pos Epilogue to come.