Harry sat in his office and wondered what the hell had just happened.
What ever it was, he concluded, it was enough.
He had had enough.
Ruth sat at her desk, head bowed in concentration. She was studying a blank piece of paper.
Harry's door slid open.
He marched across the grid.
He grabbed a chair.
He sat.
"You don't know what you want, do you?" he hissed into her ear. He was very close.
"Harry, please," she whispered.
"You didn't want this conversation in my office, well, we can have it here instead."
She glanced around, fortunately no one was paying them any attention.
"Answer my question, Ruth."
"Yes, I do know."
"Then, what is it?"
"Not here."
"Yes here. Here and now."
She glanced up once more, there were only Beth and Lucas nearby, they were studying footage on Beth's screen, oblivious to the weight and significance of the conversation that was taking place.
"You said that there were thousands of times that if I'd asked you, you would have said yes… always."
She stared ahead, not acknowledging him.
"You're a liar, Ruth, and you can't even see it."
She turned to look at him.
"Tell me. Tell me one of them," the voice was quiet yet demanding.
She hesitated, her eyes seeking sanctuary anywhere away from the intensity of his.
Tariq chose the moment to cross the grid to ask something of Ruth, as he opened his mouth he saw the steely look from Harry and the dismissive flick of his head. Tariq simply turned on his heel and retreated.
"Tell me, Ruth."
"After you had been suspended. The night you returned to the grid, when there were only the two of us…..then."
"That's a lie."
"It's not."
"It's a lie, Ruth. Every time I get close you back away. If I'd asked you, you wouldn't have said yes, you would have run a mile. And that's the truth of it."
"After we had dinner."
"A lie."
"No, it's true," she hissed.
"No, you would like to think that. It makes you feel better to believe that. But it's a lie.
You blame me. I have bad timing, you say, but you, Ruth, you are simply afraid to live. You're afraid to live and be loved, you're afraid of being hurt. But you know what, I wouldn't hurt you, but I would love you. If only you weren't afraid."
He got up.
He walked away.
He entered the pods.
He didn't look back.
