Here's chapter 10! Sorry I didn't update last week, I've not been well :(

I watched a video of Dame Judi singing "Send In The Clowns yesterday which is the inspiration for this chap :)

That morning M woke up with a tremendous throbbing in her ankle, and it felt as if her throat was on fire. The watch that lay next to her said it was 9:04, and she could hear voices outside of the tent. Eve was gone, but Jess lay on her good leg, looking up at her. Her head then nudged a bottle of water nearer to the head of MI6, who smiled gratefully.

"Thankyou Jess." She got a drink and immediately felt her throat ease.

Bond, hearing M's croaky voice, went to the entrance of the tent to see if she was ok.

"M?" He said, knocking on the tent. "Are you ok?"

"Why on earth are you knocking on a fabric tent Bond? Just come in, I'm decent."

The double oh agent entered, and smiled at his boss.

"How's your ankle?" He asked, needling down to look at it.

"Bloody kills." She grumbled.

"Yes yes, morning to you too Jess!" Smiled Bond, stroking the dogs head that kept nudging his hand.

"The swelling has gone down, which is a good sign. It will hurt for a day or so, but that's it. Now, shall I get Eve to help you dress?"

"I'm not a child 007! I am capable of dressing myself."

"I know you're not a child, but you do have a sprained ankle."

"Oh shut up Bond. Let me try myself, then if I can't do it I'll call Eve. Ok?"

He looked at her with pure exasperation. "Alright."

Bond left the woman and went back to sit around the burnt out fire.

"How is she?" Asked Eve.

"She's ok, her ankle still hurts but that's understandable, and her voice is a little croaky, but apart from that everything's fine." Bond smiled. "And I've said if she can't get dressed by herself, you'll go help her. That ok?"

"Yeah fine."

Q and Tanner emerged from their tent a few minutes later, Q yawning and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Morning Bond, Eve." Said Q, before going to the stream for a wash. Tanner came over and kissed Eve, before sitting next to her. "How's M?"

"Alright." Said Bond, "As alright as she could be."

"Good." Murmured Tanner

At that moment, M called from the tent, "I can't stand up, can someone come help me?"

Eve jumped up, but Bond beat her to it. The old woman emerged from her tent a few minutes later, leaning on her agent who had his arm around her, and Jess at her ankles.

"Morning everyone." She smiled.

"Morning boss." Said Tanner.

"So 007, what's the plan for today?" She asked him, sitting down on the nearest log.

"Well I was going to go into the forest to get some roots and shoots for our meals. I was thinking you could stay and maybe tidy up with Q, M whilst Eve and Tanner go wash the plates e.t.c and some clothes by the stream. That ok?"

"I can't do much else can I, so I suppose that's fine. What about Jess? She'll need a walk."

"Q will take her, don't worry. I already asked him." Bond smiled, just as the quartermaster appeared from behind the bushes.

"Morning M. Right, now I'm clean, do you want me to take Jess for a walk?" He said, looking down at the dog.

"Sure. I'll get started tidying the supplies box up." She said, pulling the huge box nearer.

"Right, I'll see you all later then." Said Bond, and he made his way towards the forest. Eve and Tanner grabbed anything that needed cleaning, and they too said their goodbyes, leaving M alone.

"Charming." She muttered, "I sprain my ankle and collapse, and I'm left alone the next day."

She spent the next half an hour washing the inside of the box (that had accumulated rather a lot of dirt over the last 6 days) and looking our for Jess coming back with Q. After spending so much time with her staff, she started to feel lonely.

Soon enough though, the bark of a dog was heard and Jess came bounding through the grass, pulling poor Q along after her.

"She took me for a walk, not the other way round!" Gasped Q when he reached M. He was exhausted, and the poor guy told her that he'd done nothing but run for 3/4 of an hour.

"I tripped over a tree root at one point and she just barely stopped! For a puppy, she isn't half strong!"

M was barely listening, she was too busy making a fuss of the little dog that sat grinning up at her.

"Mmmmm" was all she said.

It was soon dinner time, and everyone came back to the camp. Bond came dragging two long sticks.

"What on earth are they?" Asked Q.

"The product of my mornings work." Grinned Bond. "Crutches for M. Look- they have handles so you can hold onto them."

"I feel like a bloody invalid." She muttered.

"You are an invalid." Corrected Bond.

"Oh be quiet. But thanks, Bond."

"You're very welcome, M."

That afternoon was much more enjoyable. M could get about better now she had the crutches, and she went for a stroll with Jess down to the stream. She was, yet again, alone as everyone had their separate jobs to do (if Bond hadn't made her those crutches he would be finished) and he finished that morning.

She was very bored. Her job was non stop, and being there was ever so dull. She began to sing under her breath,

"Isn't it rich,
Are we a pair?
Me here at last on the ground,
You in mid-air.
Send in the clowns."

Jess stopped and turned to look at her. The puppy's eyes brightened, then M realised. Her voice got louder until she was singing with all her might.

It was the same song she sang to her Jess to get her to sleep when she was little.

"Isn't it bliss?
Don't you approve?
One who keeps tearing around,
One who can't move.
Where are the clowns?
Sind in the clowns."

A Little Night Music was her favourite play, and she know most of the songs off by heart. She was going to sing a little more, when-

"Just when I'd stopped opening doors,
Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours,
Making my entrance again with my usual flair,
Sure of my lines,
No one is there."

Bond came through the bushes, grinning.

"I didn't know you were a fan of A Little Night Music M?" He said nonchalantly.

"Right back at you 007."

"My parents loved it," he said simply, "and they always used to sing it with me. I joined in more often than not."

"You have a good voice." M mused.

"So do you. I didn't have you down as a singer."

"Sang to my children to get them to sleep. Jess" her voice caught, "Jess loved it the most. Her and Claire- my other daughter- used to do little duets, and perform them for me and David in the living room. I usually sing when no-ones around now."

"Why?"

"Well, I never thought I was that good."

"M you're brilliant!" Exclaimed Bond, "you should sing more often!"

"Tell you what. I'll sing the next verse now, and if you can sing with me without being deafened, I'll sing the last verse for everyone later."

"Alright, go!"

She smiled, and took a deep breath.

"Don't your love farce?
My fault I fear.
I thought that you'd want what I want.
Sorry, my dear."

Bond joined in.

"But where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns.
Well, maybe next year."

Their voices matched perfectly.

That evening's dinner was feast of fish that Eve and Tanner had caught further downstream, mushrooms and parsley.

Once they had all finished (including Jess), Bond spoke up.

"Me and M have something to show you." He smiled. "We found a mutual interest earlier, and we'd like to share it with you! It was M's idea, may I add."

He looked at M. "Ready?"

She nodded and took a deep breath.

Together, they sang-

"Isn't it rich?
Isn't it queer,
Losing my timing this late,
In my career?
And where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns.
Well, maybe next year."

They finished, and looked at the trio sat on the opposite log.

"Well?" Asked Bond.

They were all speechless.

"I didn't know either of you could sing!" Eve spoke up eventually.

"And you were both brilliant!" Added Tanner.

M blushed slightly. "Thank-you!"

"Is that the last verse from "Send In The Clowns"? "A Little Night Music", right?" Said Q.

"Yes, and a brilliant play may I add." Said Tanner.

That day ended on a good note, thanks to a good sing song.