Grown Ups

Graham poured the hot water into the mug as he thought about his cancelled Stag do. He had to admit he was relieved in some ways that he wouldn't have to spend time away from his fiancé. He didn't want to be around a bunch of rowdy and very possibly drunk Spooks. He sighed, feeling slightly guilty that his adoptive brother and 'best man' wouldn't get to organise the day trip he had planned.

"Gray?"

"Nick"

"Mum called. Says they're stuck in the Grid." Nick perched on the edge of the worktop. "Said we were ok."

"Looks like you and Squeak are having your tea with us." Graham handed him a mug of tea.. "I am not ordering pizza."

"But it's part of my Greek Cypriot heritage." Nick tried his best to look innocent. Graham laughed.

"You are a crap liar. Pizza is Italian not Greek. You can have beans on toast." Nick feigned shock as Gracie ran into the room.

"Pizza!"

"Oh this is not fair!" Graham stated as Gracie looked up at him with big blue eyes. "Since when did you two tag team?"

Xxxxxx

"Drug Squad are seriously beginning to annoy me." Ruth stared at the computer screen as Ros sat next to her. "Nightingale is our jurisdiction not theirs."

"Which I am sure you'll tell them." Ruth tapped furiously at the computer as she spoke. "Francis has been busy."

"Go on." Ros stared at the screen. "Daddy would be proud. Can you find his last known location?"

"Already have." Tariq spun in his chair. "He left the Royale hotel five minutes ago on foot. Heading west towards Oxford Street. It's weird. He's been in plain sight of the CCTV all the time. He's either an idiot..."

"Or he wants us to know what he's doing." Ruth finished as Ros got to her feet. Ros nodded once, her eyes narrowed as she watched the screen.

"Ruth,"

"I'll find out everything there is to know about him. Just."

"What?" Ros shrugged her jacket on.

"Be careful. It was his father."

"That tried to kill me before. I know. Zaf!"

"Yep!" Zaf answered as he opened a bag of crisps. Ros took them off him and threw them on the desk. Zaf raised his eyebrows.

"That was my lunch!"

"I don't want crumbs in the car. Cmon." She marched out of the Grid leaving Zaf little option but to follow her.

Xxxxxxx

Harry paced his office as he listened to the Home Secretary on the other end of the phone. Despite a snap general election the woman was still in post; something he found he was grateful for but in that moment he just wanted her to stop berating him so that he could get a word in edgewise.

"Insufferable woman." He muttered as he placed his mobile phone back in his pocket. He closed his eyes trying to calm his temper as he turned to see Ruth stood in the doorway of his office. Clearly upset she twisted the rings on her wedding finger as she tried to order her thoughts.

"Harry..." she looked away. "We've had a red flash. From Zaf. Requesting backup at the Mermaid Dock ."

"He's with Ros." Harry walked to her. "Ruth?"

"Yeah. Something's happened. He found an IED. Ros is with the suspect. They were separated." Ruth twisted her rings. "I'm. Ros is trapped inside with the suspect."

Harry ran a hand over his face. He didn't want to think about the possibilities of what could happen with Ros trapped in the same space as a member of Nightingale.

"Get Beth, Alec and Dimitri to the scene."

"Adam and Will are on the way. Bomb Squad are nearby." Ruth stepped back as Harry walked out of the office.

. "Lucas and Zoe?"

"Lucas heard everything over the comms." Ruth held his gaze. "He's on his way to be with Zaf now. Zoe is in the Registry with Catherine."

"We have the location." Harry looked Ruth in the eye.

"Harry."

"I'm going to the scene. Have the bomb squad chief contact me." His voice softened as he saw the look in her eyes. "I have to."

Ruth nodded once. "Come back."

"I will." He smiled slightly before disappearing out of the Pods. Ruth watched him go before turning as Calum called her name. Pushing her fear from her mind she forced herself to concentrate on what was being said. Ros' life depended on it.

Xxxxxx

A/N thanks for reviewing the story so far. Bit delayed in updates as real life has been getting in the way. Hope people are still reading this. New story is in the planning stage but unsure whether to write it at present.