Jewels From the Crown

by saye0036

Grief, love, danger, intrigue and betrayal swirl around Bond on a private mission for M. James' in the dark, until his unlikely partner arrives to cause trouble. Jack Ward's on a mission of his own and runs into Bond. Both missions collide and combine in the most unlikely of places. This story is rated T but will have one or two chapters with a M warning!

21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Never say never again.

Bond stands by the bar, his mission clear, seduce the woman across the room and get into the compound. His hands sweat and not just because of the oppressive heat and humidity. The girl is beautiful but M's voice is in his ear.

He doesn't want to do this and M's pushing him for the job.

007 you have to get into the compound, and if that means you have to sleep with her you have to...do it.

"M...I don't want you listening...or speaking. Please leave the comm room, and have Tanner oversee this one. I want to tell you in very precise terms that I do this under formal protest. I have a woman who will be dominating my thoughts the entire time I do this."

James...I loath to share, but this is me using you, as the tool you've trained to be. I will consider you as such as long as you and I do this job. My feelings...are irrelevant when it comes to the greater good, for Britain and yours are the same.

"In other words you won't hold it against me and it's my bloody job."

Exactly.

"I suppose you did run off with my friend and take him to bed so...I think this one is an acceptable one-off."

Careful James. If you count up the amount you've one offed compared to my relationship...I had one to your however many.

"No they don't stubborn woman, Jack was a real relationship, and mine have never been more than a couple of hours tops."

James, do the job and get back here.

"Why, do you want to have your wicked way with me M?"

007, not over comms!

"But it's more fun when it's recorded M. Q and I can listen to it later he doesn't believe me. I need to prove to him that yes, in fact you can banter, and you are very, very good at it."

007, get hard at work, and get back if you want another mission.

"Right back out to work again? You are a cruel mistress, M."

Remember the fantasy you told me about 007... the private mission.

Bond swallows hard, waiting for her to continue: "Yes, M." He takes a long swig of his beer waiting for her to speak again.

Well, it may just become more than a fantasy if you manage to be back in London and packed by Thursday. Now stick your tongue in that woman's mouth and make her take you back to her place.

"Oh gods woman...you drive me insane...I will be home by tea time tomorrow."

Bond hears her deep amused laugh, bubble over the comm in his ear, and it stirs him deep inside. He pays the bar man and makes his way to his target.

"Time to get this over with."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Planes are frustratingly slow when you have the woman of your dreams waiting for you, after flirting with you on comms.

Bond bypasses security at the airport with his special passport, and grabs a cab to M's flat. He calls to warn her, but she's not home...she's still at the office going over last minute details. Bond has the driver divert there instead.

As Bond ascends in the lift he thinks on the mission and his performance with the woman Thiri or lack thereof. The gunfire began before he could betray M, even if there was a great deal of making out before that. James truly hopes she was not listening to him at that point.

Seduction is all about making the woman feel desire and protection. That is the key even if for the most part it is a lie, or illusion where these women are concerned. Thiri died, as did her husband and most of the household in the explosion.

Bond wrote it up on the flight to keep his mind busy and off...the woman whose voice could start wars whispered in the right ears. He emailed it to M as soon as he touched down. That way she knows to expect him soon. Bond smirks to himself as he makes the outer office. He plans on taking her home and after the flirtatious nature of their comm conversations on this mission, he remains hopefully optimistic about his prospects.

M's leaning over her desk with Tanner and Q looking down at something. So engrossed they are in the object, that on closer inspection is a nautical map, that they barely notice Bond's approach.

Q looks up first. "Aha...007. Good to see you in one piece. I don't suppose you have any equipment to return in working order?"

"Now Q, I don't like to kiss and tell, but I did manage to salvage some and here it is." James hands him a slightly melted object, that at one time was a detonator pen that Q gave him.

"It was a blast all the way around, Q. Thanks for that."

Q frowns and deposits the remnants of his creation in the rubbish bin.

"007 I see that your mission was a success."

"Yes M, it was, and you said you have another assignment for me."

"Yes I do, but first come look at this map."

Bond moves beside M looking down at the information. "A US Navy vessel. That is not unusual around Guam. Does this have something to do with Jack?"

"Did Jack ever mention a cousin in the navy?"

"No why?"

"A Captain Ward commands that vessel, and that vessel found the missing fishing boat ,and took it back to Guam the day after you left, and sent the body back to the CIA."

"What is it that you think is going on M?"

"I am not sure, but this is something I may inquire about at the wedding."

"What wedding?"

Tanner looks at him in exasperation. "Bond I sent you the email about your next assignment in Virginia. You are the bodyguard for M."

"It said I would be looking after an important package...I should have known after our conversation."

"Yes, well it seems that Moneypenny and Tanner made sure that you were going to be my escort for Jack's nephew John's wedding."

"Why on earth are you even going to Jack's nephew's wedding?"

"Because I promised him I would that night...the night of the museum attack. We still haven't tracked down the Castel sisters. They have paid for new identities, and have gone to ground. 003 is following trails in South America."

"M, with them still on the loose you had better not take any unnecessary risks, and Bond you have to stay at her side not go running off after shadows." Tanner adds.

"I will not be much more than an arm's distance away Tanner, I promise."

"Good make sure that you are."

Bond smirks at Tanner. "Bill, I never knew you were such a mother hen."

"I am, when it concerns M's welfare, so what of it." Tanner says on the defencive. "I will have you know that I will be her plus one should you anger her to the point she refuses to take you."

Bond raises his hands in defence. "Fine...fine. No insult intended, Tanner, just joking. So we leave when?"

"Tomorrow, so go home and rest and get packed. I need to shop for a dress in the morning, this is my first wedding in America, and apparently they do not wear hats or marry in the morning. It also seems that the guests are to do something called a shuttle bus from the hotel to a small church and the reception will be in a barn."

"A barn? Really?" Q asks.

"A converted one for the occasion, Q, and yes this is why I need to shop for a new outfit. I don't want to stand out as the outsider."

"M, you cannot help to stand out regardless." James says with a smile.

"With you on my arm I will be the talk of the wedding. I do hope you will chose a basic suit James."

"I may have something that fits, and will take away all unwanted attention to you M."

"Good, and I hope you're not just teasing me Bond."

"Would I do that?"

"You bloody well know you would, and why must I have attention taken away from me? I am travelling under a false name." M asks in confusion. "Q, assures me that it is still a sound alias."

"That's right. I cleansed the web of her pictures, and erased any trail of her in Mexico as soon as you returned. Enough time has past that no one will know of Evelyn Connery." Q bolsters proudly.

"I'm sure you did Q, but when M walks into a room, the room pays attention even when she is Evelyn Connery and not the head of MI6, if you catch my meaning."

Q bumbles and blushes. "Yes...of course...quite right."

Tanner laughs. "M could consider not paying as close attention to her appearance...she could dress down as it were."

M and Bond turn to look at Tanner like he is growing a second nose on his face. "No." They both say in unison.

Tanner rolls his eyes and throws his hands up in surrender as he turns, and heads for the door. Q follows as they say their goodbyes for the night and strategically leaving M and Bond alone to discuss...whatever.

"So M...now that you've got me alone…"

"Bond...I still need space and we are going to be roommates for the next few days so you may escort me down to meet my car, but you need to go home and pack."

M gathers her things and moves to the door which James holds open for her with a frown on his face.

"M you're a tease. The comm conversation's left me hanging by a thread since you ordered me to put my tongue in that woman's mouth."

"Then why are you hanging by a thread? Surely you must have finally found a release."

"No...there wasn't time for it before all hell broke loose."

M frowns, but is secretly glad he did not have to do his duty, in that way.

"This is hardly my concern 007. It was all part of the job and you managed it well enough even if you didn't manage to return your equipment."

"The rest of my equipment is ready and willing to go M...I just need the love of my life to give me a chance to use it."

M stares at his reflexion beside her in the lift. "James. Give me time. I do...I feel strongly...it is...just... all too soon."

Bond rolls his eyes in exasperation. "It's been months! You leapt into bed with Jack?"

"And look where it got me! Bond...if you truly care for me...give me more time. I promise it will be worth it in the end."

"Alright M, but I'm done pursuing you. I will be professional and keep my distance as your bodyguard. If you want me as much as I want you...you can come to me. I am serving the ball into your court M and now you decide when and how much."

"You may be waiting a while Bond because I am not usually the aggressor."

"But that is not entirely true is it M? You were with Jack. Did you really want him more than you want me?"

Bond hits the stop button on the panel of the lift.

The troubled look on James' face concerns her for a moment but then she remembers how easily seduction comes to this gorgeous man. He suspects that it was him that had her wanting in Mexico so badly that she jumped Jack.

It's true but she will never give him the satisfaction of admitting it. The man is far too egotistical already.

"I wanted to feel again."

"And I couldn't make you feel?"

"James...please. I need to get some rest before tomorrow and it's after nine already."

"Time...you're concerned about the time when I'm desperate to have you?"

"You said you were going to step back and let me choose when and where this relationship...where we begin...if we can begin. There are so many feelings and quite honestly they scare me James...so much more than with Jack."

"I know M." Bond's holding back from touching her, but he so wants to go back on his promise and kiss her soundly. Make her melt against him and fill his senses with her taste, his nose with her scent and his ears with her moans of passion.

M can actually feel the time between the beats of her hearts as her gaze meets his look of unbridled passion. Christ he will kiss her...and she wants it to happen.

Bond's right, she's only hurting herself, but she needs to say her final goodbye to Jack Ward.

M moves her body towards him and leans in as her arm extends past James and hits the button to continue the lift's progress towards the parking garage. Bond closes his eyes and growls at her proximity to him and the heat between them.

The doors slide open and they step out to breath the cool sobering air of the parking area. In moments M is in the back of her car and gone while Bond is still recovering from the ride from the top floor, with the woman who makes him want to both make love to her, and kill her all at the same time.

Frustration thy name is M.

James drives home to pack and try to find sleep with the sexual frustration he feels always close to the surface.

Damn that stubborn woman. It will be all worth it in the end. Tomorrow they begin that private mission, hopefully Jack was right and Virginia really is for lovers.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning Bond messages M. She's shopping, he asks to join her, take her for lunch before they leave, and surprisingly she agrees.

Bond takes his bags, and places them in the car, and heads to meet M. He has a little surprise for her for the wedding. On occasion Bond has noticed M is mesmerized by men in kilts.

James took the family tartan out of hiding, and got everything cleaned a polished, although Bond is not a Scottish clan name his grandmother was a Fraser and the family adopted that tartan as their own for their estate in Scotland.

Bond's mother had one made for James when he was young, and Kincade kept his father's for him to grow into.

Over the years of being on the fringes of military conferences and meetings Bond has noticed the way M's eyes travel to men in kilts. Sometimes she lingers just a little too long to go unnoticed by those around her.

Tanner has joked with Q about it on many occasions. They took a picture of a massive kilted man standing near M chatting over champagne. It could have been because he was huge, or that he had dark auburn curls and deep laugh according to Tanner.

Thinking on it makes Bond's jaw clench in a sudden pang of jealousy. He hopes that his kilt has the same effect on her. Now that he has decided that he will wait for her to make the first move.

It is so much easier to make that first move with him in a kilt, just the thought of her grabbing his knee under the table makes him speed up.

Bond meets M in a high end clothing shop. He sees her driver standing around holding bags with a look on his face that typifies male frustration with a woman shopping. Bond smiles as he approaches and takes the bags from him.

"I'm here to relieve you fine sir. I will be taking M for lunch, and then back to base until we need you to take us to the airport."

"Thank you." The poor man whispers as he bolts for the door and an early lunch.

Bond waits an insufferable amount of time for M to notice and acknowledge him. She walks around looking at dresses, none of them particularly sexy. What does she think she's doing?

"M, these are not your style. What are you trying to do?"

"Oh Bond, I didn't notice you there." It's a bloody lie, there isn't a person in the shop that didn't notice James standing watching her after replacing her driver.

"I need to blend in Bond and women of my age do not dress like your normal fare for weddings or anything else for that matter."

"My normal fare, is that a passive aggressive attack on my work M? I would never expect you to dress or act like them but I also expect you to keep to the level of style and sophistication that you normally present to the world."

M's eyes flash to his. "You're right. Let's go to another store." M walks out and Bond follows. He diverts them to his car and places the parcels she has in with his bags.

Bond offers her his arm as they walk down the street. It is a lovely late summer day and being out in public with M on his arm is making the day even brighter.

"You seem insufferably smug today Bond."

"I have the woman of my dreams on my arm, who I am about to accompany on a private mission and I now get to get a sneak peak at the wardrobe for the occasion and take you to lunch. I haven't had a day this good in years."

M laughs. "So easy to please Bond. Here I thought the day would have to have explosions, car chases and other mayhem to interest you or keep your focus."

"The day's still young, but no M, with you I don't want the car chases and kidnappings that happened the last time you and I were on mission together. I want us to shop, eat lunch and climb on board a commercial airline to Virginia. I relish being able to spend this much time with you and alone. I think we will get to know each other much better over the next few days."

"Have you been talking to Tanner and Moneypenny?"

"No, why?"

M looks at him suspiciously as he opens the door to the shop. "I think they are conspiring to bring us together, that's why."

Bond smile beams down on her. "Really? I will have to buy them gifts while we're away.

"James what colour suit are you wearing?"

"Black with a bit of flare...I should think any colour you chose will complement me very nicely M." In reality she could choose any amount of colours to match his kilt, some will clash but he will guide her away from those subtly.

Bond sees a green dress that is basic enough and the dark shade would completely compliment the green in his kilt. Bond has not seen M in green very often.

"M the cut and colour of this dress is nice. It is not too extravagant as to pull notice away from the bride."

M looks at the dress and to James. "It is nice, I actually like that shade of green."

"I've never seen you in green much M."

"I usually wear only black and blue business attire Bond, I sometimes have a green blouse but I detest light greens. You aren't choosing this just because it has a very low V-cut and a short flared skirt are you?

"I hadn't even considered that, M." He says with a smirk and a gleam in his eyes.

"I'm sure. I will look around and find some more to try on."

In the next hour M tries on five dresses and a suit and the green is by far the best choice. M seems mad that it's the one that he picked out on a whim within seconds of entering the store.

"M why so mad. I have spent a great deal of time daydreaming about how you look in and out of various styles of clothing. The style of this dress reminds me of the purple one that you wore in Mexico." Bond stops there as the look she gives him chills to the very core.

"I'm sorry M. I know; Jack fell for you in that dress as much as I did. In my defence, you look fantastic in everything you wear."

"Nice recovery. I'm hungry. Let me pay for this and we'll go."

M takes the dress from his arm and heads to the cash.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They enjoy a casual lunch watching the crowded London streets as they make small talk. M catches a reflection of the two of them in the glass of the restaurant. To passers by they would appear to be a mother and son out for lunch. The thought makes her stomach drop. She takes another sip of tea lost in the dismal malaise of doubt that nags her every time she thinks about them as a couple.

Bond sees M's countenance shift in a moment's lull in conversation. "M, what is it?"

"Nothing."

"It's not nothing M, you sunk visibly. Did you think on the ones you've lost?"

"In a sense I think I may have."

"M?"

"Nothing Bond, shall we go, I need to do a few things before we go to the airport."

M's smile does not quite meet her eyes. Bond pays the bill and takes the bags from the store for her as they leave and walk back to his car.

James holds the door open for her as a woman walks by and winks at him. He smiles at her but turns away to make sure M is alright. The look on M's face tells a tale of exactly what she was thinking about in the restaurant.

Bond moves around the car and climbs in. "M you are not my mother and I do not see age when I look at you. I only see grace and beauty. No…, I don't want your protests. I don't bloody well care, if the Prime Minister himself tell you we can't be together because of the bloody job! We've sacrificed enough for Queen and Country. I will resign, before I let them pressure you to get rid of me, more than they already do. I know I promised to leave you in the driver's seat of this relationship, but I did that thinking of you as M, the woman in power and control, not as Olivia the widow who is becoming scared of opinions that mean nothing. There will be flirtatious woman who come on to me, of which I have little control over, just as I had no control over Jack falling in love with you in Mexico."

Bond takes her hand and brings it to his mouth for a kiss, scared to look in her eyes but just managing to look at her reflection in the windshield.

"James; you're right. They don't matter. The decision is mine and I will try not to let women staring at you bother me. It is just the look of confusion and disgust I am worried about, if you ever tell them that I am...not. When you tell them no thank you, she is not my mother, and their pause, sudden understanding and complete shock."

Bond begins driving to base.

"M, my feelings for you are much more that a son looking for the love and acceptance and replacement of a mother figure. I remember my mother, and she was a kind loving woman, nothing like you in the least." He manages to get out with a straight face until the end.

Bond takes the elbow to the arm as a good sign as he turns into the parking garage. M's sighs and straightens up as she leave his car before he can come around and open the door for her. She transforms into M the Queen of ice and numbers, the moment the building surrounds her.

Bond follows her a few paces behind with his bags and hers as they go to the private elevator to her office.

An hour later they are on the way to the airport with all the false documentation needed to travel domestic.

Bond carries all the bags and escorts her to the executive lounge before the flight. M sits at the bar. She orders two gin and tonics as Bond's brows raise in question. "Nervous flyer, M, or is one of those for me?"

"Funny Bond...really funny. I thought you might like one. If not I will drink both."

Bond takes one of the drinks and sits beside her. "How are we playing this M?"

"What do you mean? What game do you suppose we are playing Bond?"

James tries to read the expression on her face to see if she is prodding him for real or just having fun as his expense.

"Am I your lover M?"

"I almost hate to give you the satisfaction of answering that 007."

Bond smirks at her and places his hand on her knee. M promptly pulls it off and flushes almost instantly.

"Bond! You said…"

"I know what I said, M, but that is all out the window if we are playing roles my dear."

"I suppose you are my plus one, and you are definitely not my son, so yes we are lovers of a sort for this trip."

"Good. I don't think my day could get any better, unless perhaps they run out of two bedroom suites at the hotel."

"Bond, don't you dare call and change Moneypenny's well thought out reservations. You will have to get her some duty free on our way home."

"Can we, if we are only staying until Monday?"

"Not likely. I have attempted to call Jack's brother Joseph, but there has been no answer. He never gave me his sister's information and it's Joe's son getting married."

"I thought Jack's brother was dead? Jack said he never got along with his older brother. He loves his two younger sisters, he told me of them."

"He mentioned them to me but only Joe by name. I don't think he wanted me to investigate them before meeting them."

They get called for their flight and board the plane. Bond manages all her luggage stowing it above with the help of two fawning flight attendants. They begin to try to flirt with him so he sits down beside M pulling her in for a quick but decidedly, not chaste kiss on the lips.

"Darling, what will you have to drink?"

"Gin and tonic I should think." M says while being slightly stunned by the sudden kiss.

"Very well. Ladies, my partner and I would greatly enjoy two gin and tonics, thank you."

The women's shock dissolves away quickly enough as they both disappear.

"There M...that wasn't so bad. I would have claimed you as my wife, but I thought you might kill me if I did that."

"Quite right, I would have."

"Really? Would it be so awfully bad to be married to me?"

"Yes, yes it would, and you would never want it anyway. Imagine how hard work would be, if we were married...ridiculous."

"Yes. Excruciatingly hard, all the time because my sexy wife in a power suit would be chastising me when all my thoughts would be on how much we made love the night before or even better that one time we locked the door and did it in your office for the afternoon."

"Bond! Stop that!" M tries to keep her voice down as more people fill up seats around them.

"M if we are playing lovers it is a perfect opportunity for you to test how people will react to the two of us together as lovers before actually becoming lovers. It will not be all that difficult for me. I still don't understand why you find the two of us so ridiculous as lovers or married.

"Remember how much difficulty you claimed to be having with the woman in Burma? It would only be worse for both of us if we actually married. You would feel guilty and I would feel jealous about ordering you to sex up a mark. No, I never plan on marrying again. Once was enough for this lifetime."

"So you were only thinking of my benefit?" James frowns. "Oh and stop calling me 007, or Bond. We're lovers so act like it. You have free reign to touch me, and me you if we're to sell this act. For me it will be easy, for you allowing yourself to relax in my arms is the part we have to work on. Have I told you yet how incredibly sexy you are in trousers and a casual top. I like the way a rolled up dress shirt looks on you M."

"Thank you James. You look very good in casual clothing also. The only time I think I've ever seen you casual, you've been a wreck after a mission or just smell from working out."

"Smell...that is hard work for Queen and Country M. Most women faint over my chest. In fact, you had to cover your desire to stare at me that morning in your bedroom, by ordering me out."

M bites her lip thinking about Bond's chest muscles and wondering if he brought trunks for the beach or a pool.

They finish the drinks they ordered and Bond grabs the pillows and blankets. Bond removes the dividing arm between them and pulls M against his side.

"Here M rest on me and get some sleep if you can. It will be late our time when we land and five hours more left in the day there."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hours later after having an very unrestful, sexually frustrated sleep in James' arms, they arrive in Washington DC and collect their rental car. They have to drive into the rural mountains to the city of Charlottesville. There they will find the hotel and rest until possibly meeting Jack's family after the rehearsal dinner.

The trip through the mountains is lovely, but Bond can tell that M is becoming more and more nervous about this plan of hers.

"You can change your mind you know. We can turn around or drive north, disappear elsewhere for a few days."

"No..no, it does sound nice but I have to talk with them and tell them how sorry I am that it ended as it did before Jack and I could come to this wedding."

Bond frowns. "Who knows if you would have still been together anyways M. He could have ticked you off and been sent packing by now."

"James, do be serious."

"I am bloody serious. How long were you planning on stringing him along?"

"I was not stringing him along!"

"M, I happen to know you would not have married him."

"Who said anything about marriage, bloody hell we would never have married. I already told you once was enough."

"Yes but did you ever tell Jack that?"

"No, why?"

Bond becomes silent as he turns from her to watch the highway.

"Why James? What is it you aren't telling me?" M can tell when James is withholding information from her.

"Jack had a ring."

"He what!?"

"The night we got drunk and stayed at your flat. He told me he was going to ask you that weekend when you got home after the museum event."

"James this may come as a massive shock to your ego, but I would have said no. I wouldn't have left him just for that, but I would not have married him, and not because of you."

"Really? Are you sure about that? A man asks you to marry him and you say gee, no thank you, I would really rather not. But we should still sleep together occasionally when you pop in to London. Come on M. If you said no Jack might have left all the same."

"It means little now anyway, but yes I think he would have come around to my thinking on the matter."

"I don't think so...that stubborn old goat. Besides M, the two of you were too different. I happen to know he wanted you to move here in retirement."

"Not bloody likely!"

"I told him that. In all honesty and full disclosure Jack and I picked up some women over some of the missions we shared and you in no way resemble the type of woman Jack is normally attracted too."

"And what is that suppose to mean 007?"

"Only that you are a class way above his usual fare and he really overreached as far as I'm concerned."

"That is a cruel thing to say about a friend James and very elitist of you. What about the type of women you were carrying on with at the same time. I heard the story of the three sorority sisters from that college in Texas."

"Jack exaggerates and I barely remember them so even with three, not one of them made me feel as good as you merely allowing me to kiss you."

"Now who exaggerates."

"I merely embellish; I do not exaggerate, I've told you that a million times M."

M laughs until she has to wipe a tear from her eye. "Poor Jack."

"Poor Jack my ass. The man had you as a secret girlfriend for six bloody months too long as far as I'm concerned. Do you have any idea how hard that was for me? To try to step back and let the two of you...and you wouldn't let me get past kissing. Not to mention I was lying in the hospital after being shot saving you while you went back to the hotel and jumped Jack! Jack broke the cardinal rule of turning his back on the enemy, just to dramatically dip you into that kiss and I took a bullet for you. Now you owe me for two."

"Yes, I suppose you did. I am sorry for all that James. Eventually I will make it up to you." M smirks at him.

Tanner and Moneypenny think she should take Bond to be while on this trip. She has decided to play it by ear and see what the day brings.

Q calls M's mobile with the research he was doing the evening before. Jack Ward was related to the Captain of the ship they found on satellite the day after Bond left Guam. Jack had an older brother Joseph who died last year of cancer and two younger sisters, Heather and Shannon.

Joe's son John is getting married and he has one male and two female cousins, Peter, Julie and Jennifer.

"What are you thinking M? Are you assuming something strange is going on or is it all just coincidence?"

"I'm not sure."

Bond takes her hand and brings it to his lips. "No need to worry M. I am sure this will be a great all be it short vacation for us to enjoy." Bond raises his brows suggestively. M arches hers in response shaking her head with a smirk.

"Calm down James. You gave me the control remember."

"Yes I did. Damn! I can't believe I promised not to jump you the second we reach that hotel room."

M starts to laugh. "I know, you were thinking with the right head for once."

"I always do when you're around M, I have to be, just to keep on my toes. Besides you like that about me, that and my chest."

"Bond! I do no such thing...really that is just...well."

"Calm down M. You can always be the one to jump me once we get there. And don't worry I like you for your chest too."

Bond's shoulder rises for the inevitable strike that hits him from the passenger side. "Ouch woman! I did take a bullet to that shoulder for you remember."

"Well if you keep it up with the double entendre and snide comments I may have you shot again."

"Just promise me never to get Moneypenny to do it M. She will kill me for sure."

"What makes you say that?"

"Moneypenny has taken it on herself to be your unofficial guardian and protector in the office and behind the scenes."

"Really? How do you mean?"

"You may not realize this completely M but the female population of MI6 idolize you as much as the Queen or famous esteemed actresses like, Helen Mirren or Maggie Smith."

"That seem quite a lot to live up too. I had know idea she felt that way."

"Tanner, Q and Eve love you and that's why they're nosing their way into our business so much. Christ Tanner has raked me over the coals and threatened me within an inch of my life to never hurt you in any way."

"Are you serious? I think Bill may need a raise."

"Real funny M. You know I wouldn't, ever hurt you. I stayed to the sidelines while you were with Jack just to prevent bad feelings."

"I know James. Although your version of non-interference leaves much to be desired at times. I was so concerned that you might break into my flat while Jack was there that we just had to begin inviting you over to eliminate the inevitable."

Bond turns to look at her in question. "So that's why you two started inviting me for dinner once a night while he was in London. I had no idea. And here I thought it was all just Jack's way of rubbing it in my face. Look Jimmy...I got your girl."

"I hope we get to stop soon. I need to visit the bathroom and contact Eve to say thank you, and the trip is going fine, so far."

"So far we are here now so I think I got you here in one adorable piece M."

"Yes and the way you bloody drive I do think that is a miracle of sorts."

Bond laughs as they pull off the highway into the town.

They arrive at the hotel and move to the desk to check in. Standing at the counter they hear a laugh coming from the hotel bar on the right as a man and woman exit.

Bond and M turn their attention from the desk, after scooping up their key cards and look towards the familiar sounding voice. M's eye become as wide as saucers and her heat begins beating wildly...

To be continued…