Sorry again for the delay in posting this update. School holidays have been wrecked havoc with my free time yet again, rendering it non-existent. Hope you enjoy and please review. Cheers, S.C.


When she wakes, it's to find him still asleep beside her. It's early, probably just before dawn judging from the quality of the light slipping into the room, and she realises that, in her exhausted, dreamy state last night, she must have forgotten to draw the curtains. She contemplates turning over and going back to sleep for a moment, but the opportunity to just gaze at Harry in the soft, gentle light of the breaking dawn is too wonderful to pass up.

He's lying on his side, his face turned towards her, a small pout on his lips, his breathing deep and even. He looks so relaxed this morning, more so than she's ever seen him before, and it warms her heart to see it. He works too hard and doesn't get enough rest, poor love, she thinks as she reaches a hand up to stroke his cheek with the back of her fingers. He doesn't stir, which surprises her a little as she's always assumed he's a light sleeper. Certainly every other morning since they've shared a bed, he's been awake before her. Then again, perhaps he just has a very accurate internal clock that always wakes him at the same time each day, but before then, he's dead to the world, or perhaps their love making last night and the fact that he's on holiday are the reason behind it. She really doesn't know yet, which is nice. She likes the fact that she still has many things to discover about him.

She watches him a while longer, letting her eyes roam over his beloved face, committing it to memory. He has lovely eyebrows, she muses as she lifts a finger to trace one. They're blonde, soft, and not too bushy though she smiles as she notices that there are a few hairs longer than the rest, a mark of his age. She loves it; she loves everything about his face and finds it devastatingly attractive. His gorgeous, expressive eyes and full, pouty lips are just perfect and would melt any woman's heart, she's sure, but she finds every other feature just as alluring. Even his ears have a pleasant shape even if they do stick out a little, she thinks, reaching her finger forward to trace the helix of his left one. His lips twitch at the contact, forming a small smile for a moment before they relax back into sleep, and she can't help the answering smile that appears on her lips or stop herself from doing it again and almost laughing out loud when he repeats the motion. Who knew that Harry Pearce smiles in his sleep when you stroke his ears?

She wonders if there are other parts of him that make him smile when stroked, so she begins to explore his skin, softly stroking his forehead, down his nose, his hair, the side of his face and neck, his shoulder, his arm, the back of his hand, his collar bone and the top of his chest before she gives up. Clearly it's just his ears that are sensitive like that, she thinks as she strokes him again, grinning at his unconscious smile. Unless of course... She lifts the covers and peers down at his crotch, admiring him for a few moments before reaching down to stroke him there too. It doesn't make him smile, but he does let out a low moan of pleasure before he rolls onto his back, but he still doesn't appear to be waking. She watches him for a moment remembering how wonderful it had felt last night when he'd woken her with kisses and caresses, and deciding to return the favour.

She slips under the covers and works her way down, turning to the side so that her body lifts the covers enough for some light and air to slip through the gap. She glides her fingertips across the underside of his belly and follows the copper blonde hair down to his groin, skirting around his half-mast erection and down to his inner thighs. His groan, though muffled by the covers, makes her smile and she watches as he spreads his knees apart, a clear invitation for her to continue. He must be waking up, she thinks as she leans forward and runs her tongue down the seam where his right leg meets his body, reaching his soft sac and caressing it gently with lips and tongue as her fingertips continue to slide from his groin down to his knee and back again.

It's fascinating, the shape and feel of his balls, how they move inside his sac as she touches them, and how the texture of it changes with time. Soon she can feel it getting tighter, drawing his organs higher towards his body, and can hear his breathing coming in pants. His hands have slipped into her hair, caressing her gently as she explores him and tightening their grip on her head when she finds a particularly sensitive spot. His scent is heady and highly arousing, making her wet for him within just a few seconds, and as she eventually abandons his balls for his shaft, she can taste last night's love making on him. He groans and tenses below her as her tongue glides up his shaft, his hands tightening their grip on her head until she reaches the tip. Then she slips him inside her warm mouth and feels him lift his pelvis towards her as he simultaneously pushes her head down so suddenly that she has to twist away from his hands and use her tongue to stop him from going in too deep. Her motion seems to surprise him and she feels him freeze, perhaps coming fully awake all of a sudden, before he gently caresses her hair and tries to pull her head up. She hears him say something, but she can't make out his words, and in any case, she's enjoying the feel of him in her mouth too much to want to stop, so she resists his efforts to gently pull her away, and it's only as he begins to sit up that she reluctantly releases him and sits back on her heels, pulling the covers with her and lifting her head to meet his gaze as she pushes her hair out of her face.

"Good morning," she smiles, moving closers and straddling his thighs as she wraps her arms around his neck and presses her lips against his.

"Mmmm," he hums, delving deeply into her mouth and slipping his arms around her, his hands gripping her bottom and drawing her against him so that she can feel his hardness trapped between them, pressing against her stomach. She moans at the sensation and begins to move her pelvis in circles against him, rubbing his length against her clit, a powerful current beginning to build inside her.

Soon it's not enough, so she lifts her bum off him, murmuring, "Help me," against his lips before she rises onto her knees to give him space to position himself at her entrance. Then she slips him inside her, slowly lowering herself onto him, their groans of pleasure mingling as she sheaths him inside her.

"I love you," he murmurs and kisses her, a long lingering, passionate kiss. "I've dreamt of this for years, Ruth. I thought I was dreaming just now... and then I realised it was real. You've no idea what it means to me, Ruth. This... it's the best awakening I've ever had," he growls.

"I wanted to... explore you and taste you. I've wanted to for so long, Harry, and besides... I wanted to return the favour," she smiles.

He grins and kisses her again, holding her hips down as she tries to move, "Wait," he murmurs. "Give me a moment. I want this to last." So she smiles and kisses him again as she scrapes her fingernails across his back, making him hum in pleasure. "I love that," he confesses.

"Me too," she smiles, so he begins to return the favour, scraping his own nails across her skin and making her close her eyes and sigh contentedly.

"When I came to bed last night, you'd already fallen asleep, so I decided I should probably let you rest," he murmurs after a bit, running his fingers down her spine softly and making her shiver. "But when I got into bed, you were naked and I just... I couldn't resist."

"That was the idea," she grins and kisses him.

"You didn't mind me waking you?" he asks huskily.

"Mind? Are you mad? I loved it! Best way to wake up ever. You can always wake me like that, Harry... whatever the time, day or night," she smiles.

"As can you, my Ruth," he murmurs. "As can you." Then he kisses her again and she begins to move, rising a little and slipping back down on him, until the sensations are too much and they have to break apart for air. She pushes him down against the mattress then and begins to ride him in earnest, his hands lifting to kneed her breasts as he watches her, his gaze intense and hungry as he holds hers hostage and she's unable to look away, the deep love and passion in his eyes drawing her in until she's drowning in it and her climax overtakes her, the suddenness of it taking her completely by surprise. Barely a moment later, she feels him harden even more and he comes with a deep groan of pleasure, his hands slamming her hips down against him as he rams himself into her, his eyes glowing with emotion as he continues to stare into hers, bringing tears to her own.

She's never seen anything more beautiful or moving that his eyes in that moment, so open, so vulnerable, so loving, so honest, that it takes her breath away. She doesn't even realise she's crying until a tear falls from her eyelashes and lands on his bare chest. She blinks a few times then and watches him smile softly at her as he raises his right hand to cup her face and wipe away the tear running down her cheek. She simply can't find the words to express what she wants to say, so she takes his hand from her cheek and guides it to her chest, pressing his palm against her heart and smiling down at him as she squeezes him inside her.

"I know," he murmurs hoarsely. "I feel it too."

She smiles and sighs happily as she lowers her body onto his, resting her head against his shoulder as his arms wrap around her, drawing her to him and cradling her against his chest. She watches the trees sway outside the window in the breeze and listens to his heart thumping in his chest, its rhythm gradually slowing down to the regular steady beat she's fallen asleep to before. It's such a comforting place to be, lying in his arms, her senses flooded by Harry, that she finds herself wishing to always have moments like this with him when they're cocooned in bed, protected, close, safe, and together, while the world goes by outside their window.


They spend the day exploring the island a bit, visiting the various small museums, that are full of local history, and a couple of lighthouses and some windmills, all beautifully preserved and displayed. Ruth's favourite is the shipping museum that seems to be full of hundreds of model ships in bottles of various sizes. For lunch they have a picnic on the beach, which Ruth ordered from a place their hostess, Rachel, recommended. The food is delicious and it comes complete with sparkling wine and a small birthday cake for Catherine.

"Oh it's gorgeous!" Catherine exclaims as Harry pulls it out of its box and places it in the middle of the picnic rug, while Ruth produces three purple candles and a box of matches.

"They'll have to count as tens," she explains as she pushes them into the chocolate icing, which has 'Happy Birthday Catherine' written across it in beautiful, ornate lettering.

"You're not going to sing, are you?" Catherine asks as she eyes the candles and Ruth's semi-successful attempts to light them.

"Of course we're going to sing!" she exclaims. "It's your birthday and a very important one at that. It's not every day you turn thirty."

"Ruth, really, I don't need a fuss," Catherine objects as she watches Ruth struggling to light the candles which keep going out, owning to the slight breeze coming in from the sea. "Can't we just cut the cake and eat it? It's lovely enough to be sharing it with all of you."

But just as Ruth begins to wonder if she's doing the wrong thing by insisting on this celebration, Malcolm comes to her rescue. "All we need is a breeze block," Malcolm declares, ignoring Catherine's last remark and picking up the box. He pulls it apart to create a long piece of cardboard that he positions around the cake.

"Thank you, Malcolm," Ruth smiles as she lights the candles and pulls back, saying, "Ready?" and at their nods, begins to sing. Malcolm and Harry join in with more enthusiasm than she expects and then Catherine blows out the candles before she cuts the cake, looking rather relieved that the whole thing is over. She reminds Ruth of Harry so strongly in that moment that she can't help but grin; Harry's always hated office birthday parties in his honour, especially if there's singing and a cake involved.

"God, it's delicious," Catherine moans after she takes the first bite. "Is the filling apricot?" she asks, lifting her eyes to watch Ruth nod.

"Harry said it's your favourite," she explains.

"How did you know that?" Catherine asks in surprise, looking at Harry.

"Oh, please," Harry frowns. "I know I wasn't much of a father, but even I couldn't fail to notice that, for the few short weeks we could buy apricots every year, it was all you lived on, Catherine. I remember wondering how you didn't make yourself ill with the quantity you consumed every day."

"Mum never let me eat too many," she admits.

"And every time you stayed with me and I took you out for pancakes, you always wanted apricot jam on every single one of them," he continues reminiscing. "Graham wanted all sorts of different things, but you just wanted your apricot jam... One time they didn't have it, remember?"

"No," she shakes her head.

"You looked so very disappointed," he smiles, his eyes softening as he remembers his little girl's face.

"Bet I screamed the place down," Catherine laughs to hide her embarrassment.

"No, actually," Harry murmurs, "you were wonderful. You just said you'd have chocolate spread instead."

"Wait, was that the time when you got someone to bring me some apricot jam?" she asks, suddenly. "I have this image of you producing a jar of apricot jam out of nowhere and I remember being thrilled."

Harry looks away embarrassed, but admits, "Yes, it was."

"Awww," Catherine smiles, "Dad! That's so sweet... You're such a softy."

"Well, I couldn't just let you go without, could I?" he replies indignantly. "You were so disappointed and you handled it so very well..." He tails off and Ruth can't help loving him all the more for being so... wonderful. She leans towards him, pressing her shoulder against his gently and smiling at him when he looks into her eyes before turning back to her cake.

"You'll make a wonderful granddad, Dad," Catherine declares after a moment of silence, during which they all continue to eat. "You were an... okay father when you were around, but I think you'll be a great grandfather... especially once you're retired."

"Something you haven't told me, Catherine?" Harry asks, his eyebrow raised as he tries to mask how touched he is by the compliment. Ruth knows him too well, however, and she can tell that it means a lot to him to hear one of his children say that.

Catherine just laughs and shakes her head, turning back to her cake. "Nope. Just saying."

"Thank you," Harry nods, dropping his gaze to the cake and clearing his throat.

"More cake anyone?" Catherine asks to cover the slightly charged silence that's fallen over them. "Ruth? Malcolm? Dad?"

"I shouldn't," Harry replies, patting his stomach.

"Oh, go on, Dad, we can't let it go to waste," Catherine smiles. "Besides," she teases, "Ruth's already married you. It's before the wedding that you have to watch your waistline."

"Of course he'll have some more," Ruth laughs. "We all will. Right?"

"Well, I certainly will," Malcolm replies. "It's delicious."

"Dad?" Catherine asks after she's served the others.

"Go on then," he agrees. "We're bound to burn it off walking back to the hotel anyway." Ruth smiles, thinking that they're more likely to burn it off after they get back to the hotel, but she says nothing. Catherine, however, looks set to make a comment to that effect, but Harry intervenes just in time. "Don't even think about it," he growls.

"What?" Catherine grins. "I was just going to say that this has been a lovely way to spend the day. I've really enjoyed myself. Thank you."

Harry looks incredulous for a moment before he smiles. "You're welcome," he says.


Later that evening, Ruth finds herself alone with Malcolm; Catherine had wanted to see the sunset and had persuaded Harry to go with her. Ruth suspects that Harry would much rather have joined her and Malcolm in a drink, but he'd agreed to go with his daughter when she'd asked and Ruth was glad of it; he hasn't had any time alone with her yet and tomorrow they're going to be going their separated ways once they reach Copenhagen sometime during the late morning. Catherine and Malcolm are both flying back to London and she and Harry are taking a few days to explore some of the capitals of Europe as they'd discussed all those years ago because, as Ruth had pointed out, if they wait until they can do the whole Grand Tour in one go, they'll likely both be too old to really enjoy it.

"Have you enjoyed the trip, Malcolm?" she asks, pulling herself out of her thoughts and smiling across at him.

"Very much," he nods. "It's been lovely. What about you? Is it all you... expected, hoped it would be?"

"Being married to Harry, you mean?" she asks. He shrugs non-committally, which makes her smile; it's such a Malcolm thing to do. "It's so much more than I ever imagined. I don't know what I was thinking, Malcolm. Really I don't. I wish... I wish I'd given us a chance before. I wish the gossip hadn't scared me so much."

"I'm sorry, Ruth," he murmurs uncomfortably, lowering his gaze. "I should never-"

"Oh, Malcolm," she hastens to reassure him, "it wasn't your fault! It was me. Purely me and my insecurities. No one else is to blame. Really. If you hadn't said anything, I would have found another excuse. I was overwhelmed and just... stupid, really stupid... And you know what the worst of it is? It's silly, I know, but even now... I still worry about what the team will say, what they'll think when we go back and they find out about this, how everyone will react and how they'll treat me and look at me and Harry."

"They'll be happy, Ruth," he smiles.

"Do you think so?" she asks, taking heart from his words.

"I'm sure of it," he nods. "We were happy for you both before. The gossip was never malicious. I remember Jo saying one time that there wasn't much else to smile about around there and it's true. If they talk about it, it'll be to share in your joy, Ruth. Harry's one of the most highly respected section heads in five because he cares about his people, and you are equally loved, Ruth, for your compassion and the way you look out for everyone. So everyone who knows you will be happy for you both that you've finally got what you deserve, that you're happy." He pauses for a moment as Ruth ducks her head to take a sip of her drink, blushing at his words. "Besides," he adds with a lopsided little smile, "I'd be very much surprised if some of the younger lot don't think you two have been married for years. You've always acted like a married couple."

"Have we?" she murmurs in surprise.

"Oh yes," he nods, smiling fondly. "Finishing each other's sentences and, seemingly, reading each other's minds, anticipating each other's needs. After Colin told me about your date, I couldn't believe I'd missed it. It was so obvious how you felt about each other... and that you were made for each other."

"How terribly... quaint, Malcolm," she smiles.

"Well," he murmurs, lowering his gaze to his drink, "I was brought up in the church. My father was a minister, and in spite of everything, I still believe in the Almighty and that some things are just meant to be."

"Of course, Malcolm," she replies quickly, leaning towards him and brushing her fingers across the back of his hand. "I wasn't teasing you. I have nothing but the deepest love and respect for you... and if I'm honest, sometimes it does feel that way - that Harry and I were always meant to be together."

Malcolm smiles as he lifts his eyes to hers and raises his glass, saying, "Here's to you, Ruth, you and Harry. May you have a long, happy life together."

"Thank you," she smiles.

"And don't worry about the others," he adds after taking a sip of his drink. "I'd be surprised if they even mention it."

"Oh Beth will," she declares, making a face. "She'll bombard me with questions, but you're probably right about the others. Lucas probably won't give it a second thought, and Tariq and Dimitri are young and male, so they'll probably think no more of it than Lucas unless Beth keeps going on about it. You're right, Malcolm. Thank you. I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill again... and as to the other people in the service..."

"Harry will deal with them," Malcolm says firmly, "and they know it. They wouldn't dare say anything about it if they value their positions... Besides, you're tougher than you look, Ruth, and I believe you can handle anything, and you and Harry together make a formidable team."

"And with such wonderful friends," Harry adds as he sits on the arm of Ruth's chair and takes her hand in his, smiling down at her as she turns to look at him in surprise at his sudden appearance, "we're unstoppable."

"Good job you're the good guys," Catherine interjects before stifling a yawn and declaring, "Well, if we've got to be up in another six hours, I'm off to bed. Goodnight all and thank you for a lovely birthday."

"Goodnight, Catherine," they each reply as Catherine kisses Harry's cheek and waves to Ruth and Malcolm.

"Another, Ruth?" Malcolm asks as he gets up and ready to get himself a top up.

"No, thank you, Malcolm," she smiles also rising from her seat. "I think I'll follow Catherine's lead and turn in. It's been a long day and we have an early start."

He nods and turns to Harry, "What about you, Harry?"

He hesitates, and she can tell that he's torn between wanting to be with her and his favourite bedtime ritual, so she quickly responds for him, "He'll have a small one, Malcolm." She sees Malcolm nod and move towards the bar as Harry turns towards her with a questioning look. "You've earned it after that walk," she smiles, placing her hand on his chest as she leans forward and kisses his cheek. Then she pulls back slightly and whispers, "Just don't be too long tonight. I don't want to fall asleep before you join me."

"I won't," he murmurs in a low, husky voice. "I've still got that extra slice of cake you made me eat to burn off, remember?"

"Made you eat?" she laughs, pulling back to look at the mischievous grin on his face. "Yes, I really had to twist your arm on that one, Harry," she adds, making him chuckle. "But if you really want to burn it off," she grins before she leans forward and whispers in his ear, "you'd better be on top this time."