Disclaimer not mine

Time for A Miracle?

Ros clung to Amy as the little girl began to cry. She kissed her daughter's hair as she tried to calm her down. The explosion and the frightened adults had clearly upset the toddler. Ros didn't really know what to say. She hugged her daughter tighter to her as the snow began to fall.

"Shh" She soothed as her own voice broke. Her team was dead. Lucas was dead. She looked up at the broken window on the fifth floor. A single strand of tinsel fluttered in the breeze as snow began to fall on the central London street. "Oh Beth" She thought of the bubbly blonde that she spent half her time in work wanting to strangle. But she had to admit the girl had been beginning to develop in to a good officer. She glared straight ahead as her heart started to freeze over. It was then she spotted movement in the foyer.

"Adam?" She felt Amy quieten in her arms as Sarah stepped towards her.

"The boys went in" Sarah brushed a lock of dark hair behind Amy's ear. Amy sobbed as Sarah touched her hair. It seemed as if the little girl was beginning to quiet in Ros' arms. Ros stared straight ahead as Amy gave Sarah a watery smile.

"Daddy"

Ros shook her head as Amy pointed towards Thames House. Ros felt her heart constrict, she remembered everything about the last big explosion they had been in. She remembered dragging Andrew in to the alcove and then waking up in ITU almost a fortnight later with Lucas holding her hand and Harry pacing up and down looking increasingly worried. She knew their luck had rung out. They wouldn't be so lucky a second time.

"No Amy" Ros wanted to run in to the building with Adam and the others. Every sense in her body told her she should be in the building looking for her friends. Looking for evidence. She glanced across at Sarah as she saw the red head wipe her eyes. Juliet was stood a little way from them. She avoided everyone's gaze as she watched the doors to Thames House. Another memory was beginning to resurface but she couldn't be sure. There was something about arguing with Adam and a dark haired girl. She wasn't sure but it was there.

Xxxxxxxx

Lucas coughed slightly as he watched Dimitri and Beth walk in front of him. It seemed Dimitri was slightly more shaken by the fact Beth had been in the firing line when they had blown the timer than she was. She clutched her hand as they walked down the steps of Thames House. She had cut her hand on shards of glass during the explosion but was determined not to let the others know how nasty the cut was. Dimitri ushered her out of reception towards a waiting ambulance. Lucas sighed as he watched them walk away. It seemed Ruth was already having a nebuliser. She'd been coughing quite badly since the windows got out and it seemed she had breathed in a fair amount of smoke. Lucas looked around them to see Harry talking with the head of the Bomb Disposal unit. Zoe and Zaf were talking quietly as they held hands. He smiled. Even Malcolm and Sarah were hugging. Or rather Sarah had thrown her arms around Malcolm's neck. He searched the crowd for the two people he desperately wanted to see.

"DADDY!" Amy shouted again as Ros turned her back towards Thames House. She was talking to Stan and someone from Section E. It looked like she was completely back in work mode, but not aware that he was safe and about four foot behind her.

"Amy, that's enough" Ros sighed.

"Daddy! Roof!" Amy could see a lot of adults that she knew and was getting a little annoyed that her mum wasn't taking any notice. She began wriggling in Ros' arms. She had spotted her godmother as well as her father and was getting restless. It was time her mum put her down. Lucas closed the gap between them. Ros said her goodbyes to her counterpart from section E as she felt a hand on her arm.

"Ros" He spoke quietly. "Are you alright?"

"No I am not bloody alright" Ros turned to face him as Amy clapped her hands. She had known she was right. Amy shot her mother an I told you so look as Lucas took her from Ros' arms. "You blew up the Grid!"

"Not all of it" Lucas shrugged as Amy giggled.

"You blew the window out"

"Yeah well in fairness that was Beth and Tariq" Lucas wanted to pull his wife in to his arms but he knew there was no way she would let him. Not with the rest of the world watching.

"Don't tell me" Ros deadpanned "They only meant to blow the bloody doors off"

Lucas couldn't help but chuckle as Amy clapped her hands. It was then he noticed Juliet talking quietly to Alec as she leant heavily on a pair of crutches. He hadn't seen her since she had tried to kill Ros, the second time.

"You ok?" Lucas asked again as Ros raised an eyebrow. Harry was walking towards them as Ruth signed a piece of paper and left the paramedic.

"What is she doing here?" Ros nodded towards the woman on crutches.

"Ros" Juliet turned to her as Alec rested a hand on her arm.

"What. Is. She. Doing. Here?" Ros punctuated every word. Juliet sighed. This was going to be difficult.

"I came to help"

"Help? The last time I saw you was when you wanted to help me in to an early grave" Ros glared as Juliet nodded.

"So I'm told, but I really have no memory of how or why" Juliet stared at her. Ros looked her directly in the eye. It seemed something had softened in the other woman. Ros just couldn't buy it.

"Yeah, but the problem is I remember every second of it" Ros was determined not to turn away as Lucas rested a hand on her arm.

"Ros, there is nothing more we can do here. The bomb squad have sealed the place off, everyone is out. Tariq has gone to hospital. Lets go home" Lucas ran a finger along her hand. She nodded.

"Tariq?"

"Asthma is playing up. The smoke affected it. Harry ordered him to get checked over. Adam has gone with him" Lucas explained.

"Ok, I should be getting Amy home anyway." She turned and walked away as Alec ushered a slightly shell shocked Juliet in to the car.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry sat in the living room wondering exactly how his whole team had got out alive. He had spoken to Adam a little earlier. Tariq was fine, a chest x-ray and a couple of nebulisers had sorted his asthma out. He sighed as he leant forward and picked up the scotch he had been nursing for the last few minutes. It was then that he realised Graham was in the room.

"Dad"

"Yes son" He turned slightly to face the younger man. Graham sat on the sofa next to him.

"Ruth is pretty upset that you walked back in to the building" He watched as his father nodded. "She thinks you have a death wish"

"I don't. I just had to make sure some things were secure" Harry explained.

"The men that want to kill you and Juliet. Still out there then?" Graham rested his elbows on his knees and turned to his father. Harry nodded.

"Not all of them" Harry smiled "Two are in prison, on remand. The other, well it wont be long until we pick him up"

"Dad"

"Don't worry about me son. Where's Charlie and the girls?" Harry suddenly realised that none of the others were in the house.

"Taken Scarlet for her walk" Graham explained "I think Catherine thought it would settle Ruth down. She was scared, you know? Ruth I mean. You keep walking in to these things where it looks like you are going to top yourself. It kills her Dad. Every time you do it, kills a bit of me and Catherine too" Graham didn't look at Harry as he spoke. Harry smiled. His son was a grown man, and had more maturity than he had. There was no way he would have spoken about emotions and relationships like that at Graham's age. He rested a hand on his son's shoulder. Despite their differences Harry had to admit Graham and Catherine had grown up in to fine adults.

"I know. I just had to get some stuff off the Grid. Before that Malcolm was the only one I could think of that would know what to do. Seems I ended up sending her back in to danger. That timer could have blown the whole Grid sky high" He shook his head, amazed at his own stupidity. Graham sighed.

"Look Dad" He stared at his father. "I said I'd take Catherine out tonight, leave you and Ruth to baby-sit. I know Ruth said it was ok. We'll be gone for a couple of hours, or as long as I can keep Cath out. Talk to her" Graham stood and left his father to finish his drink.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Emma ran straight to Zoe as Carrie opened the door. Zoe picked her up and hugged her before setting her back down on her feet.

"You've been good I hope?" Zoe watched as Emma nodded.

"Course I have"

Carrie nodded behind her as Wes appeared in the doorway and smiled. Adam had already called to say everything was ok at the hospital and he was going to take Tariq home before he came round. Emma began telling Zoe all about her exiting day as Zaf appeared.

"You had a good day?" She nodded as Carrie handed Zoe her coat

"Yes Zaf" Emma laughed

"Cant really say ours went with a bang either" He watched as Zoe rolled her eyes. Carrie looked from one spook to the other and decided it was probably best not to ask.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Malcolm sat on his sofa watching BBC24 give their side of the story. Apparently there had been a gas leak in the centre of London. Sky News and ITN had pretty much said the same thing. He shook his head as Sarah sat next to him on the sofa.

"They have to say something" She nodded towards the TV

"I know" He pulled her to him "I know"

"I love you" Sarah watched as he smiled.

"Where did that come from?" Malcolm returned her smile

"Just thought I'd say" She rested her head on his shoulder as he kissed her hair.

"Good job the feeling is mutual isn't it?" She laughed quietly as he tightened his hold on her.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth walked back in the house, carrying Charlie as Catherine struggled to get the pram up the steps. The baby was half asleep in Ruth's arms as Catherine swore at the pram. The snow was getting thicker and thicker as Graham appeared in the doorway and laughed. It was then Ruth spotted the large carrier bag against the door. She held Charlie in one arm as she pulled the bag open to reveal presents. All of which had been under the tree at the Grid. Ruth smiled. The idiot? This is what he went back for? Our Secret Santa's. Ruth smiled as she turned to meet her husband's gaze.

"Right, you pair. Out or you'll miss the film" Harry barked.

"Are you sure?" Catherine looked at Charlie who was now asleep in Ruth's arms.

"Yes, how many times has Graham offered to pay for a night out. Go" Ruth laughed. "We'll be fine"

"You're sure?" Catherine glanced at her son.

"Catherine" Harry laughed as Graham pulled on her arm. "It's our night out tomorrow, you can return the favour and baby-sit your brother" He laughed as Graham pulled a face. Ruth watched as they left before stepping towards Harry.

"You saved the Secret Santa things" She smiled

"Well, Beth put so much work in to it that I thought" He sighed

"You sentimental fool" Ruth kissed him as Charlie began to stir. She placed him in his car seat as he closed his eyes again.

"Sorry"

"Don't scare me like that again" Ruth tried to sound annoyed but found it difficult as Harry pulled her in to his arms and kissed her. Harry buried his head in her shoulder as she hugged him back. "Hey"

"God Ruth" he sighed as she pulled back and rested her forehead against his. "I'm sorry" Ruth sighed as he spoke, she knew he wasn't apologising for sending her back in to the Grid, it was for everything since the case had come back to them. They were startled from their thoughts by the phone ringing. Harry rolled his eyes as he stepped away from Ruth and answered the phone.

"Yes?"

"Harry its me" Adam answered unnecessarily.

"What is it?" Harry was immediately back in work mode.

"Ricky Mitchell. Our not so friendly bomb maker? We got him. The plods picked him up for speeding ten minutes ago. Lucas and I are going to question him now"

"Thank you. Keep me informed" Harry ended the call as a wave of relief washed over him. "Thank God" Harry smiled as he replaced the phone. Ruth wrapped her arms around him from behind and kissed between his shoulder blades.

"Seems Beth was right. Christmas is the time for miracles"

A/N only two chapters left and maybe an epilogue. Please let me know what you think. Next chapter will include at least some of Beth's longed for party.