I've using The Blacklist's Kate Kaplan here because she's so bloody brilliant and I'd love to see what she'd do if she ever left her old life with Red behind.
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Chapter 11
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Mallory stepped in to Kate's office, her head was down as she read over some files on her desk, her hand on her hip as she focused.
"Kate…"
"M…he asleep?"
"No, he's wide awake."
"What can I do for you; you have something on your mind?"
"I know what I'm about to ask you is completely unethical but…"
"Yes?"
"I want you to sign James discharge papers, saying that he's fit enough to leave our facility."
Kate straightened herself, a stern look on her face as she pushed her glasses up.
"I'm sorry…you want me to do what?"
"Kate…"
"Hang on, you want me to discharge a man, who a mere what…24 hours ago was held captive and beaten within an inch of his life."
Kate came around her desk and stood directly in front of Mallory, a look of uncertainty on her face.
"I know I'm asking a lot from you Kate but I…"
"A lot is an understatement; he needs to be here for a week at least. He has a knife wound; bruising…he can barely stand."
"He wants to come home Kate."
Kate heard the determination in Mallory's voice as he kept eye contact with her.
"Okay what's going on here…what am I missing?"
"Missing?"
"Yes M…missing, is there something between you and your agent?"
Mallory looked away for a second. Giving Kate all the answers she needed.
"I see, well you certainly kept that one quiet."
"I wasn't aware that it was anyone else's business."
"When you want me to break protocol for you it becomes my business…Sir."
Mallory moved past her and took a seat at her desk, lowering his head as he clasped his hands together. Kate took the spare chair behind her door and brought it over to join him. Her voice went a little quieter as she spoke to him.
"So how long have you and Bond been together?"
"Not long, he was very supportive towards me and my two nieces when my sister and brother-in-law were killed; I'm not actually sure what I'd have done without him."
"I see."
"You're judging me Kate."
"Am I, so you're a mind reader now?"
Kate was always one to try to lighten the mood in the darkest of times, it had always been one of her good points, and one that made the previous M hired her on the spot regardless of the PM's reservations.
"Look…I'm not judging you dearie, you know me too well for that. You've known me a long time, you know what I've done in my past and yet you still helped our previous head to get me hired."
"Well you had previous medical background, even before…him."
"Are you in love with him? Bond?"
"I am, you think it foolish don't you?"
"I really do wish you'd stop trying to assume what I'm thinking, of course I don't think it foolish…they're nothing foolish about love."
"I don't think I've ever truly felt like this before, until my sister's death I never really knew the man behind double o seven. He truly is one of the most compassionate, caring and understanding men I've possibly ever met and he accepts me for who I am…flaws and all."
"Well that's a good thing dearie."
"Kate…he hates being here, please…let me take him home, he just wants to be with the people who love him."
Kate closed her eyes for a brief moment before looking back at Mallory.
"Okay here's what I'm going to do, I'll grant him the authorization to leave, just so long as he's not left a lone. He needs to be monitored just in case something were to happen."
"I can do that."
"You'll probably have to hire a nurse which I can arrange and I…"
"No, a nurse won't be necessary, I'll be there."
"You have this place."
"It can take a back burner for a while."
"Oh my, it really is love. One other thing, I will be by every night to change dressings and assess him to make sure he's healing as I'd like."
"I can do dressings and such if you just…"
"You're not listening to me, if you don't allow me to come by every evening to check on him then I won't grant his release…it's non negotiable."
"Alright then, I agree to your terms."
"Good, then you may go and tell him the good news."
"Can the girls come down to see him, they've been worried."
"I don't see why not, I'll call Eve and let her know and you can go and tell Bond the good news."
Mallory was on his feet, shaking Kate's hand before she returned to her desk, and picking up the phone.
"Kate…thank you."
"Just keep him alive."
…
Mallory returned to James room, seeing the younger man smiling at him as he walked over to his bedside.
"Well…how'd it go? She said no didn't she, that woman's a tyrant I'm telling you. There's something about her that's always been a little off to me."
"Well I wouldn't go telling her that or she might change her mind about sending you home."
"What…you mean she agreed."
"She did."
"What did you have to bribe her with to get her to agree to it?"
"I didn't bribe her anything; you know believe it or not, Kate is actually a very nice person. You should give her a chance."
"She's a middle aged woman who lives in the past, end off."
Mallory couldn't stop the big smile that spread across his face as he began to laugh.
"Alright what's so funny?"
"You really do need to get to know Kate better, she was handling weapons when you were still in nappies."
"She's just a doctor."
"She wasn't always, trust me on that…don't ever cross her."
"What are…."
"Uncle James."
Both men looked up when Isa let go of Eve's hand and ran over to the bed, Mallory picking her up and placing her beside James as the younger man gave her a hug.
"Hey you, god have I missed you."
"Uncle Gary said you were hurt, are you okay now."
"Well I'm getting there, but it'll take some time…you okay to help me out til then."
Isa smiled as James ran a hand down the side of her face.
"That's my girl."
"Come on you, give James some room to breathe."
Mallory put her back down as Gianna approached the bed, a half smile on her face.
"Hey kiddo." James smiled.
"Hey yourself."
"You okay."
"I am now."
"I'll take Isa back upstairs, we'll finish colouring in that picture huh." Eve said.
"Okay."
"Okay far too may people in here, come out…M I need a word." Kate said appearing.
"We were just leaving." Eve smiled before leaving with Isa.
Mallory left with Kate, leaving Gianna and James alone.
"Why did that woman call Uncle Gary M?"
"Well that's who he's known as around here."
"Yeah but why?"
"We're spies Gianna, some secrets are best kept just that."
"Are you really okay?"
"I'm not great but I'll get there, I'm allowed to go home. It took a lot of work to convince Kate to let me leave but your Uncle's a miracle worker."
"She looks scary."
"Well I certainly wouldn't cross her."
"He's been so sad and quiet you know, since you left and when we heard that you'd been captured, he fell to bits. I heard him so many times in his room crying over you. He really loves you James."
"Yeah I know…I love him too, very much."
"Don't leave again, if anything happened to you, he'd fall to pieces."
"Gianna, I have no intention in leaving again. This job, I'm done with it…I can't do it anymore."
"Wow, you really love him that much huh."
"Not just your Uncle, you girls mean so much to me too…the daughters I never had."
"Does he know that you're leaving?"
"Not yet, let me tell him when I'm ready okay."
"Sure."
"So, how's the painting of your room going?"
"Honestly, it's not. Uncle Gary isn't exactly the painter type or DIY for that matter, the week after you left he got me these cool bedside cabinets for my room, 3 days it took him to get them up and even then…I still don't think they look right."
"Don't worry, when I'm healed I'll fix them okay."
"Great."
"Gianna…would you mind going back down to Eve, I'll be there shortly." Mallory said, entering the room.
"Yeah sure, see you later James." She smiled, kissing his cheek before she left.
Mallory came over to James, leaning down and kissing him before handing him a sheet of paper.
"What's this?"
"That is your release papers, Kate said you are free to go whenever you're ready."
"Really."
"Yeah, now I'm going to ask Eve if she'd mind taking the girls, just for tonight…just to give us the night to ourselves, how does that sound?"
"It sounds wonderful."
"I'll go and ask her now; I'll be back shortly okay."
"Don't leave me for too long."
"I'll hurry back."
…
To Be Continued…