Harry emerged onto the grid, everyone's face turned to him. "How's Ruth?" Everyone asked at exactly the same time.
"She's fine. Just some bruises for the most part," Harry said. "They're keeping her in for a few days for observation."
"What about the baby?" Jo asked.
"And the baby looks good too. Kicking with a steady heartbeat," Harry said.
The room was filled with sounds of relief and Harry smiled. "Who did this to her?" Adam asked.
"My office," he said lowly. "I want a word in private." They walked through and as soon as Adam closed the door Harry drew the blinds.
"Harry, what happened?" Adam asked.
"Charles Taylor," Harry said. "He had a… thing with Ruth at the beginning of the year. It seems he was very angry when he realised she was still pregnant and he beat her up in her own house."
"Oh God," Adam said. "So… you're not the father of her baby?"
"No Adam I'm not," Harry said acidly. "She told me that she didn't want me to kill him. But I want him to disappear."
"Harry?"
"What happens in a years time? When Ruth has her child. This guy could show up and throw her daughter down the stairs, causing a hell of a lot more damage than the bumps and bruises she has right now. I cannot have that happen. Or even risk the possibility. I need him gone, and even if she won't admit it, so does Ruth."
"What do you want me to do?" Adam said.
"Make him vanish. I don't care how or what happens to him, and I don't even think I need to know. But I never want him to bother Ruth or our child ever again."
"Our child?" Adam questioned, his lips curving into a smile.
"Adam… Not the time," Harry said. "Tell Zaf if you need help, but I don't want anyone else to know. Also Ruth's filed a police report, so tread carefully."
"Oh God, that's going to make it so much more difficult," Adam said.
"I know," Harry said. "Her injuries followed the pattern of domestic abuse and the hospital called them."
"Are you sure this is what Ruth wants?" Adam asked.
"No," he said. "But I will not have her living in fear that someone is going to hurt her daughter. That's more important than the fact she may hate me for doing it."
"Harry, talk to her," Adam said. "I'll track him down today, but I am not going to kill him until Ruth says its okay. This is her business, and it's the father of her child."
"Fair enough," he said begrudgingly. "I'll talk to her tonight."
"Good," Adam said. "And I'm glad she's okay."
"Yes, so am I," Harry said fervently. Adam left his office and Harry took a shaky breath. "So am I."
It was late but Harry had sweet talked the nurse in allowing him to visit, even though visiting hours were long since over. He guessed the fifty pound note hadn't hurt either. He opened the door and saw Ruth sleeping. He should have guessed that. He put a present on her bedside table and then she opened her eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to wake you."
"No, not you," she said. "I wasn't sleeping, was only resting my eyes. Hi."
"Hi," he said kissing the top of her head. "How are you?"
"Good," she said. "You have that look."
"What look?" he asked.
"You have something to tell me," she said. "Or ask me maybe. And you don't think I'm going to react well."
"You can read all that from my face?"
"I know you," she said simply, smiling at him. "What is it?"
"I know you told me not to kill that… man who did this to you," he said. "But I can't let him get away with it Ruth."
"You cannot kill him," she said. "I don't want a man to die because of me. I can't have a death on my conscience, its bad enough having terrorists die because of me."
"I don't mean to scare you," he said. "But what happens if he comes to your house when your daughter is a few months old. If he threatens your child. Hurts her. Maybe even…"
"Don't," she said, her eyes filled with tears. "I can't think of something like that happening to my girl. I can't."
"Then let me deal with him," Harry said.
"No," Ruth said. "Threaten him. I'm sure Adam can do threatening well, especially with a gun or two. Tell him to never come near me again or you'll tell his wife. I'm sure you can be more creative. Tell him to crawl under his rock and never disturb me again or you will kill him. I'm sure you can make it believable."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," she said. "I'm sure."
"Okay," he said. "I might have Adam do it though. Because if I have to look at him while holding a gun, I'll probably pull the trigger. My restraint… is not endless."
"Does Adam know? That he's… my girls father?"
"I told him," Harry admitted. "He won't tell anyone, don't worry."
"I'm not worried," she said. "What's that?" she asked, trying to change the subject onto happier ground.
"A gift," he said. "A get well soon gift." She opened it and saw that it was a baby name book and smiled. "It's got an entire section on Greek and Roman names too. So you can call your daughter Persephone, Minerva or something else unpronounceable."
Ruth laughed at that. "I haven't actually decided on a name," she said. "I don't want to give her a name that'll make her get teased through school."
"I know," he said. "Have you thought of any names?"
They spent the next hour or two arguing over baby names as they flicked through the book. Harry held back at first but when Ruth tried teasing him by seriously suggesting Mercedes as a name he knew that she wanted his input. He told her in no uncertain terms that she was not naming her daughter after a car, making her laugh.
In fact, he'd been there nearly two hours when the nurse came in and asked them to be quiet because a terminally ill woman next door was trying to sleep. Suitably abashed, they fell silent. "I should let you sleep," he said.
"Probably," she said. "Thank you for the book."
"You're welcome."
"Come here," she said. He did and they kissed passionately, tongues exploring delightfully.
"I'll see you tomorrow," he said.
"Can you bring me some books? I don't want to die of boredom."
"Sure," he said. "Twilight and Fifty shades of grey be all right for you?"
Ruth threw a pillow at him. "Austen and the Bronte's," she said, trying not to rise to the bait. "Or Mary Shelley. Goodnight."
"Goodnight Ruth."
I know 50 shades hadn't been published when this story was set, but I couldn't resist! The next chapter will have Charles dealt with, as I'm sure we're all eager for!
