Harry wanted to break the silence as he didn't like the awkwardness between the three of them. "Its good to see you again Elena," he said quietly as Ruth took a sip of her wine.

"I never thought we'd meet again," she replied. While her tone was light, no one missed the undercurrent of her words. Elena studied Ruth with a critical eye. "You know don't you?"

"Yes," she said bluntly.

"Be careful Elena," Harry said. "The walls have ears." She nodded her head in acquiescence. "How is Sasha?"

"He's well," Elena said. "He's his fathers son after all." Harry felt Ruth's fingers tighten hard on his hand and he squeezed back in reassurance without looking at her. At that moment they were secondly interrupted by Towers.

"Harry, could I have a word?" Harry nodded and made his excuses to Elena before turning and following Towers. Ruth made to follow suit when Elena made a slightly disbelieving noise in her throat.

"I don't think you were invited," she said with her eyebrow raised.

Ruth smiled indulgently even though her insides were burning. "I work with Harry. Nothing has passed over his desk in the last three years that I haven't seen. He can't shock me any more. It was nice meeting you," she lied easily, following Harry and the Home Secretary across the room. By the time she got within earshot the conversation had finished and Towers had left Harry alone. "What did he want?" she asked.

"Telling me not to annoy the Russians," Harry grumbled. "In spite of our history. The way he was talking made it sound like he expected me to drive them off at the first opportunity."

"Now there's an idea," Ruth said lightly.

"Are you okay?" he asked concerned as he caught her eyes.

"Yes I think I am," she agreed. He smiled at her, eyes twinkling.

"Thank you for coming, I know that wasn't easy." Ruth shrugged her shoulder before the next sentence came out of Harry's mouth making her freeze. "Would you like to dance with me?" He indicated the floor where a few couples were gently swaying to the music.

"Harry, no," she said eyes wide with fear. "I don't dance."

"I know," he said sadly. "Make an exception. For me."

"I can't dance," she said clearly frightened by this request. "I'm useless at it. There's a reason I didn't even dance at our wedding."

"I thought you were so eager to drag me home and have your wicked way with me," Harry said with a smirk. "You don't have to do anything, just follow my lead."

She was silent as she thought about it and Harry knew better than to push her when she was giving something serious consideration like this. "You won't let me trip and fall?"

"Of course I won't." Ruth stayed silent and then when she'd reached her decision she put her hand in his and nodded. Harry felt elated that he'd won this small battle and led her to the floor. He held her close and started swaying to the slow song but he could feel her pulse thundering through her bloodstream. He leaned in closer and whispered in her ear. "How is it that you can face Russian spies calmly and yet when I ask you to dance you start panicking?"

"My realm of experience in dance is very small," she said, concentrating on not stepping on her dress. "And I've been working for you for a long time, that's how."

He smiled and leaned in for a quick brief kiss. "You look beautiful in that dress," he said honestly. He moved to whisper in her ear again. "And you look even more beautiful out of it." She blushed vividly but her only other reaction was to tighten her arms around him and keep dancing.

Across the room Elena was watching the pair of them as Ilya came back to her. He kissed her cheek and started speaking in Russian. "Everything alright?"

"Of course," she replied with a false smile. "Watching Harry Pearce and his new wife, that's all."

"She'll never last," Ilya said firmly. "She can't be more than forty and Pearce has got to be sixty by now. He's just trying to hold on to his youth, that's all. I'm sure she'll see it sooner or later."

Elena chose not to mention that she knew Harry was two years younger than herself and her husband because she couldn't tell Ilya how she knew that information. "I think she's clever though."

"What makes you say that?" Ilya asked sharply.

"She works with Pearce at MI5," Elena replied. "She told me that much at least. Although I didn't get much else out of her. I don't think she's the trophy wife I expected of a man like him." What Elena really thought was that Ruth was nothing like the women she knew Harry to be attracted to. His first wife had been much like Elena herself. Effortlessly glamorous with an unhealthy craving for powerful men. And Juliet had been that way too Elena seemed to recall. Ruth was different. She didn't like to flaunt herself, even from their brief meeting Elena knew that. Her eyes radiated clear intelligence too. Elena Gavrik was no longer interested in Harry physically but it was interesting to see how he had changed over the years.

"Stop thinking about the Pearces sweetheart," Ilya said kissing her cheek. "There's someone I want you to meet." Elena smiled and followed her husbands lead through the very tedious evening, trying to ignore how clearly the English pair on the dance floor were in love with each other.

I think the problems between Harry and Ruth have been sorted out, so I think this fic is drawing to a close. I can't think where to take it next so all suggestions and reviews are very gratefully received! xxx