This follows the 9-8 episode, so I haven't bothered to repeat the plot which is exactly as on screen. Starting from Ruth's p.o.v.

All she wanted to do was sleep. She never wanted to move out of the blackness. "Ruth!" Someone calling her name. It sounded so far away. She could ignore it and slip back into sleep. That seemed so inviting. "Ruth, open your eyes this second!" Then again, that voice sounded distantly familiar. Who was it? And it was getting less far away too, almost like it was coming into focus. Harry. It was Harry talking to her. Why did he want her to wake up so badly? She was so sleepy and comfortable. Then she felt something wonderful. Lips brushing across hers. Mm, maybe it was time to wake up. She tried pulling herself out of the darkness but it was difficult. Then with effort, she kissed him back.

"Open your eyes!" came an uncomfortably loud shout. She did and it took a second for Harry's face to come into focus. When it did she saw the worry and semi relief on his face.

"Oh God…" she groaned as the aches in her body came back to her and what Lucas had done resurfaced in her mind. With difficulty she lifted her head up off of the ground and felt Harry's hands on her shoulders steadying her.

"You scared me," he said firmly.

"What happened?"

"You were attached to an anaesthetic drip," Harry said. "You very nearly overdosed, and I thought… I thought you might not make it. Its taken quite a while to wake you up."

"How long?"

"We took the drip out of you about ten minutes ago. I thought I was too late." For the first time Ruth looked at him. Really looked at him and saw that he was close to tears.

"I'm okay," she said, knowing he needed reassurance. "I promise. A bit groggy but I'm here." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her gently to his body for a few moments. Then he let her go and he kissed her repeatedly. "Where's Lucas?"

"I don't know."

"You didn't give him Albany?" Ruth asked bewildered.

"I had no choice," Harry replied quietly. "He would have killed you. I can't… I can't live without you."

"You stupid man," she said under her breath. "Why? What are you going to do when millions of people die because you just gave it away to the Chinese?!"

Harry glanced around but the paramedics had left them alone for a moment.
"Did you want me to let you die?" Harry asked quietly.

"No," Ruth said. "Of course not. But the man I love is principled. He has honour and integrity. He can't be bribed to let millions die for self interest Harry. Why would you do it?"

"I can't live without you Ruth," he said. "Do you understand that?"

"You've thrown your career away. For what? For me?" Ruth said bewildered. "No." She shook her head confused.

"Okay, we've got a stretcher, so when you're ready we'll take you to hospital."

"I'll take her in myself," Harry said. "We have a conversation to finish." The paramedics looked like they wanted to argue but one look at Harry's face and they saw he was immovable.

"Do get checked out Ruth," the paramedic said before leaving them alone. Harry turned to her and she still looked confused.

"I have to tell you something which I shouldn't," Harry said. "The Albany technology doesn't work. Never did. We used it as a deterrent, nothing more. Its why I didn't think twice before trading it for your life. And I would do it again. In a heartbeat."

"So… I'm not going to have thousands of peoples deaths on my conscience?" Ruth asked quietly.

"No," he said with half a smile. "It would have been on my conscience anyway, not yours, but no."

"Oh thank God," she said with a sigh of pure relief. "What… what would you have done if it had been real?"

"I'd have given it to him anyway," Harry said after a beat of silence. "I'd have ended up in prison as an enemy of the state, a traitor and I'd most likely never see the light of day again. And you would be well and alive, so it would be worth it. To me, it would be worth it. A thousand times over. I can't live in a world where you… if you were gone."

"Its just so stupid!" Ruth said. "For one person? What's come over you?"

"You're it," Harry said quietly. "There is no one else for me, you're it. And I love you more fiercely and more passionately than I have anyone else before. Which is why I proposed to you in such an ill timed manner. Because I genuinely can't imagine my life without you. I lived three years without you, I refuse to do it again." He stroked her hair softly. "It would hurt me if you no longer wanted to be with me, but if you were alive and happy, that would be enough for me."

"You mean it don't you?" she said quietly after a minute of silence, absorbing his words. "You really mean I'm it for you."

"Yes," he said. "Of course I do."

"Are you going to go to prison for this?"

"I doubt it," he said firmly. "But I doubt I have a career to go back to either."

Harry leaned in to kiss her but she pulled back, her head swimming with information. "I need to think," Ruth said quietly. "This is all a bit overwhelming."

"Of course," he said. "Let me take you to the hospital." Ruth nodded and he helped her get up on unsteady feet. She was grateful for his hand on her arm as she walked to Harry's car.

Harry stood by Ruth's side as the doctor checked her over. He didn't want to leave her and she was grateful for his company. His phone rang and the doctor glared at him but Ruth squeezed his hand, a small smile on her lips as he moved aside to answer it. When he came back to her, the doctor had finished with her and was giving her her discharge papers.

"Lucas is dead," he said quietly.

"Oh no," she said. "How?"

"He jumped off of a building. After giving Albany to the Chinese. What a waste."

"How much trouble are you going to be in?"

"A lot," he said unhelpfully. Ruth sighed and felt her eyes swimming with tears. "Hey, don't cry," he said quietly. "It will be fine."

"Will it?" she asked tearfully. She stood up and wrapped her arms around him. He stroked her hair soothingly until her tears dried out.

"I'm taking you home," he said firmly. "Then I think you should take a sleeping pill."

"No," she replied. "I've been unconscious all day, the last thing I need is to be knocked out again."

"Fine," Harry said smiling at her. He leaned down and kissed her softly. She responded eagerly. His lips felt wonderful on hers and she loved it. "Lets get you home," he whispered, eyes sparkling at her. Ruth nodded as they both left the hospital.

Not in love with this at all, but oh well! Thanks for the reviews so far, x