So so sorry for the lack of update - if only real life wasn't so busy. It also took me a while to decide what exactly was going to happen in this chapter as my story route has changed slightly, but it means that I have a really good idea where I'm going with this from now on; I even have an ending for you. Anyway, sorry for the fact that very little happens in this -it's mainly just a filler in preparation for the next chapter - but I hope you like it anyway. I have to say,it's probably a lot fluffier than a lot of my chapters. However, I promise the action starts next chapter. Please review - I'd love to know what you think xxx

Harry, who felt so right and extremely comfortable with Ruth lying snuggled into his side, was just about nodding off himself when a timid knock sounded from the door. Ruth stirred only slightly, and Harry stroked her hair a couple more times to ensure she kept on sleeping, certain that only rest could restore her health now. He frowned, and sat up on the bed a little straighter, aware that he probably should not be on the bed with Ruth, but also quite sure that neither the doctors nor nurses knocked before entering rooms in their own hospital. The tentative knock sounded once more before the door swung open quietly and the offender popped his head hesitantly round the door.

"Dimitri," Harry said in surprise as he recognised the young man. Gently, he shifted Ruth away from him and settled her head onto the pillow before climbing off the bed. "What are you doing here?"

Dimitri, who looked both relieved that he had found the right room, and surprised at the image of affection that had just been displayed to him, opened the door wider so that Harry could pass through to continue the conversation in the corridor, without disturbing Ruth. As he closed the door carefully behind him Dimitri said:

"You've had your phone switched off – no one could get hold of you."

"Well frankly, I've had enough of politicians and senior officers telling me how to lead my life," Harry said shortly, thinking back to Towers' none-too-sympathetic view on him comforting Ruth at the hospital. "I've been allowing that to happen for thirty years. This is me saying bollox to the whole lot of it."

"I know about that," Dimitri said, suddenly looking rather nervous. At Harry's querying gaze he continued, "Pretty much as soon as I got in this morning, we had a phone call from – to put it politely – a slightly peeved Home Secretary."

"Ah." Harry said, although he was not feeling quite as sheepish as he sounded.

"Yeah," Dimitri sighed. "Apparently you were less than short with him. He was muttering on about rats leaving sinking ships and being the captain of the Titanic."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Harry could not help but smirk slightly at that analogy, "I've never heard him use that one before." he mused quietly, and Dimitri could not help but raise half a smile as well. However, only a few short seconds later, his expression turned solemn and Harry could see there was more to his visit than to deliver a simple message like that.

"Harry…"Dimitri said hesitantly, as if not quite sure how to phrase what was coming. Harry, who had a fair idea what was coming, waited patiently. Dimitri eventually took a deep breath and said seriously, "When the Home Secretary's not happy…people notice. Less than an hour later…well…the top had heard about it, as had the inquiry panel…they assumed that since you were here with Ruth, and refusing to leave her side…well…they assumed that you've been telling a huge pack of lies in the tribunal, and as per usual they need to 'discuss how to deal with you'."

Harry nodded, not surprised and his expression consisted almost of indifference, "So?"

"So," Dimitri sighed again. "They've ordered you onto a temporary suspension."

"Oh no, not again." Harry said sarcastically, raising his eyebrows in mock horror. He was actually mildly disappointed that they had not let him go altogether – after all, he had used up enough chances.

"Harry." Dimitri said, a little irritated by his boss's inability to take any of this seriously, and Harry must have sensed this for his face softened slightly, and he nodded for the younger man to continue. "Harry they've…they've suspended Ruth as well."

Harry felt his face drain of colour as soon as the statement left Dimitri's lips. He felt dread bubble within him at the thought that his insubordination this morning may have cost Ruth her job; a job which despite everything, he knew she still loved. Dimitri shot him a sympathetic look, having suspected that Ruth's suspension might sober him quickly.

"Permanently?" Harry asked hoarsely, as he considered how Ruth would react to losing her job. She had been airy about the possibility a few hours ago, before she had fallen asleep, but when the reality of the fact that she had, until further notice, been fired hit her later, he suspected that she would be rather upset.

Dimitri sighed and shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know…it's just what I've been told to inform you." Harry observed the young man before him, who was clearly uncomfortable at being used as a messenger boy, especially when the message he was delivering was quite clearly from the side he disagreed with. He felt a rush of gratitude towards Dimitri that even now, he was loyal to his friends rather than his job, even though Harry had to admit that a few years ago, he would had steadfastly denied the use of friends in MI5. He recalled a conversation of a similar context that he had had with Ruth, many years ago now, and…well…their bond had developed into so much more than just friendship. Harry smiled reassuringly at Dimitri.

"Don't worry about it," he said gratefully. "Thank you for telling us."

He expected the young man to give a brief, gruff nod before turning and fleeing in the opposite direction, however Dimitri remained fixed to the spot, staring intently at him. After a beat he voiced what was on his mind.

"Did Ruth…I mean…did she really try to…to…" He stopped, unable to even finish the sentence without shuddering at the very thought of it. His mind was filled with the image of a few minutes ago; Ruth lying quite peacefully, snuggled into Harry's side – he found the fact that she had tried to kill herself less than twenty-four hours previously, hard to believe.

Harry clicked his tongue; it obviously being a subject he would rather not discuss, however eventually he assessed that Dimitri had in recent months become a trusted friend to both of them and he nodded mutely.

Dimitri sighed, "Shit." He whispered. "I…I know she'd been through a heck of a lot but…well…I didn't realise she was so…unhappy."

"Neither did I Dimitri," Harry replied sadly, as images of her still form on the roof came helplessly to mind. "Neither did I."

Dimitri looked automatically at door to Ruth's room where she was thankfully still sleeping, "Is…is she alright?" he asked concernedly, embarrassed at having not seen the earlier signs, but comforted only by the fact that Harry had not either. "I mean…is she going to be alright?"

Harry sighed, "Before she was brought in she was in she was on the roof of Thames House for near enough fourteen hours, in the freezing cold." Dimitri raised his eyebrows in shock and looked pitifully at Ruth's door again. "As the Doctor's say, she was lucky to escape with just a mild form of hyperthermia."

"But is she really going to be alright?" Dimitri demanded, and Harry knew immediately what the younger man was asking.

Harry raised the corner of his mouth in an ever so slight smile, "You know…I think she will be Dimitri." Dimitri looked deeply thankful for this answer and could not help but raise a smile in return. Harry continued, "Tomorrow I'm going to take her back home with me, regardless of what that damn inquiry says. Right now she needs all the care and attention people can give her and believe me, she's not going to get that at Tring. Can you make the arrangements to sign her out and pick up her thi-"

"Of course." Dimitri replied automatically, extremely touched at seeing the openness of Harry's feelings towards the woman he loved. "I'll do it as soon as I get off the Grid today."

Harry nodded gratefully, and there was a respectful silence between the pair of them before Dimitri continued.

"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner…you know…to find out how she is. I didn't get off with the Gavrik's until one o'clock this morning, and then I had to be on the grid for eight so then I foun-"

"Really Dimitri," Harry said smiling, raising a hand to silence the young man, before placing it somewhat awkwardly on Dimitri's shoulder. "I'm grateful you've come at all…there aren't many people right now who would considering the amount of trouble Ruth and I are already in."

Dimitri looked surprised at the grand gesture of friendship from his old boss, but tried to force a smile instead, "For the record it's not true." At Harry's questioning frown he continued. "I reckon there are a great deal of people on the grid who think a lot of both you and Ruth…they all want you both to be happy and…I'll admit… happy together." Harry could not help but raise an even wider smile at this. "It's just the miserable old geezer's in their shiny offices above that want to cause trouble."

Harry snorted, "I had the opportunity to become one of those…how did you put it…'miserable old geezer's' once." He said, recalling the time he had enlisted Ruth to help prepare him for that particular interview. Of course, he could have got someone…anyone else to do it – perhaps Sam, but he would not have had it any other way. "But let's just say I failed admirably."

"Did you fail it deliberately?" Dimitri asked, curiosity getting the better of him, but having a nagging feeling that his boss might possibly have done this to avoid the position.

"No." Harry admitted. "I wasn't enough like a politician, that's all. Still, if I had received the position I would have turned it down anyway."

Dimitri caught the way Harry's eyes moved subconsciously towards Ruth's door as he uttered the words 'turned it down anyway', and he knew immediately the reason why he would have turned down the position.

"I'll do my best to get you and Ruth back as soon as possible." Dimitri said loyally, and was mot surprised when Harry shook his head.

"Don't," the older man said firmly. "Believe me, I've certainly had enough of this job to last me a lifetime. I think after thirty years of service, and the fact that I'm possibly going to be dismissed without a pension, that gives me the right to retire in whatever way seems fit. There's only one way I would choose to spend my retirement, and I could have lost it all last night."

Dimitri stared at Harry sadly for a moment, as he realised that Harry leaving MI5 for good would mean the end of an era; he was well aware that he had only worked under Harry for two years but in this job, two years bring a heck of a lot of memories. "What about Ruth?" he asked quietly. "Do you think she would want to come back?"

Harry sighed, "Of course she would want to. She loves this job, regardless of it's done to her." He could not help the bitter expression that wiped across his face for a moment as he thought about Ruth's suffering over the recent years. "But the humiliation this inquiry is going to put her through and…after…after carrying her boss's child." He smiled sadly. "Somehow, I doubt she could bear to face it all. She's been through enough." Harry finished, hoping he had made the right decision for her.

Dimitri nodded, "I'll try my hardest for her anyway…just in case."

Harry nodded back gratefully, "Thank you Dimitri…I can't really…thank you enough for all you've done for us."

Dimitri lowered his head and shuffled his feet awkwardly, quite discomforted by Harry's outward display of gratitude and affection. A thought suddenly came to his mind and his head rose up again cautiously.

"Harry," he said slowly. "If you're not there, what do we do about Ruth's attackers? I mean…are they still off the drawing board or…"

"Oh don't you worry about that." Harry answered firmly. "I don't intend to spend these next few weeks doing nothing whilst the inquiry deliberate how best to fire me. Besides, now that I'm out, they can't berate me for trying to find out who hurt someone I care about."

"Yeah, but doesn't the fact that you're out of MI5 temporarily make you vulnerable to all kinds of trouble if you…take your own revenge?" Dimitri finished enigmatically, but they both knew what he was thinking.

Harry shrugged, "I didn't become a spook for nothing." He reprimanded the young man slightly. "I'm hardly going to leave fingerprints and a big calling card saying 'it was Harry Pearce' am I?"

Dimitri smiled slightly at Harry's caustic wit, but they could both tell that what Harry was thinking of was a great deal more sinister than he was letting on.

"About Coaver." Dimitri said slowly, wondering if he was going to regret offering this to Harry. "I…made a promise…to help you bring him in and find out what part he's playing in this…mess."

"Dimitri," Harry said, raising a hand, albeit gratefully, but firmly. "I have already ruined mine and Ruth's careers – there is no need to mess up yours as well." His eyes darkened. "I'll deal with Coaver."

"And I'll help." Dimitri answered resolutely in a tone that broached no arguments. "I made a promise that I don't intend to go back on it."

"Dimitri-" Harry tried again, intending to berate him about foolish loyalty, however he was cut off once more.

"Probably my best friend and mentor since I've arrived on the grid was violently attacked, and an innocent young man who was also my friend was killed in a particularly vicious way, so I don't intend to let that slide." Dimitri said stubbornly. "And if I get fired…well hey…maybe I'll get to live a little longer."

Harry opened his mouth, about to refuse the young man's services yet again, before he recognised that look of sincere determination; a feature he had often held when he was Dimitri's age. He could tell in that moment that there was no way he was going to change this man's mind and so he merely closed his mouth and smiled and nodded appreciatively.

"Like I said," Harry said quietly. "I will always be eternally grateful for all you've done recently." As Dimitri began to look awkward once again he continued. "Although I think you should know that if I was still your boss, and it was for someone else you were offering to go against the system for…well…you'd already be out by your ear…or possibly exiled to Peru." He smiled wittily.

Dimitri smiled in reply, "I'll bear that in mind." He nodded, and suddenly jumped as his phone went off inside his trouser pocket.

Quickly he pulled the device out, checked the caller ID and held the phone to his ear. "Erin?"

Harry could vaguely hear the sound a the young female's voice on the other end of the line, even from where he was standing, and he suspected that she was not in her best mood. Then again, she had probably just been thrown in the deep end and been placed in charge of this out of hand investigation; he could not blame her tone of voice.

"Right." Dimitri nodded. "Okay…okay…yeah, I'm just on my way back from seeing Harry." He said. "Yeah, I gave him the message…okay…yeah I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

Sighing, he pressed the button to end the call, and tugged the phone back into his pocket. "Sorry Harry," he said apologetically. "They think we might have something on-"

At Harry's immediately interested look, he continued quietly, "And…I'm really sorry Harry…I…I don't know if I can tell y-"

Harry understood immediately – there was only so much insubordination in which Dimitri could be forced to participate, and he was grateful for what the young man was already doing. "No, I understand Dimitri – you go on. Believe me, I know…duty calls."

Dimitri flashed him yet another apologetic look, nodded briefly, and then turned on his heel to leave. A thought suddenly occurred to Harry as he watched the young man stride purposefully down the hall, and he called out to him:

"Did Rosie have a good birthday?"

Dimitri turned back, slightly surprised, but smiling nonetheless. "Yes," he nodded. "Erin said that she particularly loved the chocolate caterpillar cake…and the fact that her mum could make it home for her special day."

Harry nodded appreciatively at the fact that there was good news for some, and watched Dimitri turn around once again and stride back down the corridor and down the stairs.

Harry pulled up into his usual spot outside his house, and switched the ignition off, turning to glance at the woman in the passenger seat. Ruth sat next to him, sleeping perfectly peacefully, her head lulled against the headrest of the seat. Although she had remained in hospital only two days having luckily escaped death, she was still utterly exhausted – undoubtedly the culmination of the amount of worry she had been bottling up over the past few months. Now that he was 'temporarily suspended', Harry had enjoyed the luxuries of being able to stay with Ruth for more or less the entire past two days, except for when he had been forced by the hospital staff to go home. In that time, he had busied himself with preparing for Ruth's return to his home, from minor tasks such as buying enough food for two, to washing and arranging clean bedding in the spare room. Although he knew that there was a long way to go before either of them were entirely comfortable with each other, Harry was looking forward immensely to living with the woman he loved again.

Throughout the time he spent with Ruth in the hospital, he had realised her struggle to overcome all that had happened over the last few months; this was established by him asking her whether she absolutely wanted to stay with him, or whether she might want to go home after all. To this, she had reacted quite distressingly again, and it had taken almost half an hour to calm her. Thus, he could not help wondering that if Ruth was going to be staying with him, at least for the near future, what would happen when the baby arrived. As yet, they had not really discussed much about the child at all, as other events had been getting in the way; Ruth had been taken for several scans at the hospital to give the baby the all clear, and at each one of them, despite Harry's hopes that she would, she had asked not to know the gender just yet. She claimed it was to do with having something to look forward to, but Harry strongly suspected that she just was not ready yet for another major revelation. So when Ruth turned down the opportunity to find out whether they were having a little boy or girl, Harry stayed quiet and simply held her hand tightly. However, it had also hit him just what it would be to have a baby around the house again, and if he was nervous, he realised Ruth was bound to be a hundred times so. She was already over five months along and they had not even considered how they were going to deal with their rather…dysfunctional lives, or about baby things, or about permanent living arrangements.

Still, in that moment as he watched her sleep in adoration, none of it seemed to matter. They were together now, and that was all that mattered…they would make things work.

"Ruth." He said gently, raising a hand to lightly shake her shoulder. She stirred at his touch, taking a fair few moments to gather the strength to roll her head round and open her eyes to look at him. "We're here."

Harry watched as the perfect peace and contentment of sleep drifted from her eyes, to be replaced by the dawning that she was indeed, still in this dark, dangerous world. He forced another smile as she stared at him for a moment and then glanced around at the house. She eyed it with pain and sadness, for the last time she had been there, things had not been quite so complex.

"I'm having the strangest sense of déjà vu." She said quietly, with a hint of a smile.

"I can't imagine why." Harry replied, grinning at Ruth's brave attempt at being light-hearted, before turning serious. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked her earnestly. "I'm not going to make you uncomfortable am I?"

"No," Ruth said after only a moment's hesitation. "I...I trust you."

This last statement sent a rush of warmth flooding through Harry's heart and he felt himself smile automatically, slightly red at the loving look she was currently giving him.

"Not too much too soon?" he asked, resuming the attempt at banter.

"No…I think I'll be alright." Ruth said quietly in return, although she looked slightly doubtful.

"Don't worry," Harry said. "I'll keep my hands to myself."

It was a comment which two months ago, following that disastrous evening of the attack, she would have launched herself away from him, as fast as she possibly could. Yet now she realised the reassurance and love in his bleak humour and nodded, "I know."

Harry flashed her one more smile before turning around, pushing the car door open, and stepping outside. He strode around the Ruth's side, opening the door quickly before she had even had a chance to reach for the handle.

"Your palace awaits my lady." He said gently, holding out a hand to a rather surprised, yet blushing Ruth. She smiled in spite of herself and took his hand without objection, allowing him to pull her gently out of the car and settle her on her feet. Once done, he closed the door carefully so as not to make her jump, and strode around to the back of the car to open the boot. He pulled out the tiny night bag which she had used at the hospital, followed by two large bags which Dimitri had fetched from Tring and handed to him on the quiet the day before.

"Here," Ruth said automatically, concerned by the amount he was carrying. "I'll…let me help…I'll-"

"It's fine." Harry assured her, although inwardly he was feeling the strains of the amount he was carrying on his back, which had been a little sore since he had been forced to carry her down from the Thames House roof. He put the bags down briefly and reached into his pocket, before withdrawing his key and handing it to her. "Can you open the door for me though," he said. "I don't think I have quite enough hands to do everything."

Ruth nodded automatically, "Of course." She said, embarrassed that she had not thought of this sooner. She took the key and hurried in front of him to open the door. It took her a few moments to figure out which way the key turned in the lock so that by the time she had opened the door, Harry was directly behind her, puffing at the weight of the bags. Once inside, he slung the bags down heavily onto the floor and stretched his back, feeling it crack in protest to its previous task. Ruth stared at him concernedly:

"Are you alright?" she asked, looking very guilty and apparently already doubting her decision to stay. Harry automatically nodded and patted her hand gently in order to quell her worries.

"I'm fine." He said immediately before adding a little sadly. "I'm just…well…not exactly young and fit anymore that's all."

Ruth ducked her head and there was a moment of silence before he heard her mutter embarrassedly, "I think you're…fine as you are…I mean…erm…I mean…I like you as you are."

Harry watched his beautiful stuttering Ruth, strongly reminded of the first few years in which she had worked for him. There was one memory in particular that struck him – she could not have been working for him more than two years, and she had stuttered out some comment about him pacing 'only in a good way' whilst she worried that he was going to leave the grid for that new and higher position. He smiled; he had been in love with her even then, even if he had not known it at the time.

"Thank you," he said sweetly, before adding honestly. "The feeling's mutual."

Ruth continued to duck her head but her blush had deepened noticeably to a shade of scarlet, and he knew she was smiling. They both jumped as he closed the door behind them and a loud bark erupted from the landing. Moments later, the familiar little terrier, Scarlett came bounding skilfully down the stairs, wagging her tail and barking in greeting. Harry looked nervously at Ruth, for the last time she and the little dog had met it had ended rather disastrously for her. Yet he was relieved to see that she was smiling slightly in greeting, despite her tense shoulders, a visible sign that at least her nerves were getting better. He kneeled down slowly and collected the happily wagging terrier in his arms, bringing her up to meet Ruth.

"Meet the ever curious Scarlett." He said, scratching his dog lightly on the head, just the way she liked it so that she was panting happily in his arms. "Your spy dog intruder." He added with a twinkle in his eye.

Ruth smile grew even wider and more relaxed at his comment, and she stared more assuredly at the little terrier who was yawning contentedly in her master's arms. Slowly she reached out her right hand to pet Scarlett, who automatically came on alert and stared at the woman in front of her. As their eyes met, Ruth stilled her hand, hovering a few inches away from the little dog and Harry thought that she was going to retreat it again. However a moment later she resumed her task and her hand landed lightly on Scarlett's soft fur, scratching her ears gently causing the little dog to wag her tail even harder. After a few seconds of this pampering, Scarlett turned her head and licked Ruth's hand affectionately, causing Harry to laugh.

"And now you've conquered the enemy," he said setting Scarlett down on the floor, where the little dog promptly stood on her back legs, placing her front two paws on Ruth's leg. "I say you unpack whilst I cook. Fair deal?"

Ruth smiled, looking genuinely relaxed for the first time in ages, "Fair deal." She answered gratefully, before looking hesitantly down at the hopeful dog below, clamouring to be picked up. Slowly, she bent down and lifted Scarlett into her arms, scratching the back of her ears so that the tail wagging started up again. Harry smiled, genuinely glad that Ruth had managed to conquer her initial fear of the dog, and even more relieved that they already seemed to be firm friends.

Smiling in adoration at the woman next to him, Harry bent down, picked up her luggage and began to ascend the stairs, Ruth carrying Scarlett in his wake. He travelled across the landing towards the room in which Ruth had slept in last time, and swung the door open, dropping the bags heavily onto the bed. He waited patiently for Ruth to join him and as suspected, once she emerged through the door, she gave a slight gasp of surprise.

During her stay in hospital, Harry had made the effort to make several trips over to her house to collect all kinds of things he supposed she might need. Thus, eventually he had ended up taking the equivalent of about three suitcases full of clothes, books and toiletries back over to his house for consumption. In terms of clothes, he had laid all of them neatly out on to the bed so that she could choose what she wanted to do with them; he had been careful to fetch a variety of garments – not just the typical long sleeved, cardigan and trouser outfits she generally wore these days. He had added several long skirts – the type she used to wear before the attack – to try and tempt her back into less constantly secure clothing, and thus improve her feeling of self-disgust. Harry had also stacked several pairs of flat and heeled shoes, and a pair of suede boots, next to the bedside table; an indication that he had remembered everything.

A large pile of books were stacked neatly on her bedside table, conveying Harry's knowledge of Ruth's love of books. He had taken some back to the house with him, because it had occurred to him that maybe Ruth might want some form of distraction to keep her thoughts drifting from unpleasant straits. Ruth's eyes began to fill with tears as she spotted a small mother-baby handbook lying on the bottom of the book pile, not helped by the fact that she had seen other items which Harry had obviously bought brand new for her. Next to the piles of her toiletries on the bed, there were two boxes of luxury bath and spa products, clearly to make her feel more at home, but Harry looked crestfallen to see Ruth's shoulders shaking and tears dribbling helplessly down her cheeks.

Scarlett, perhaps sensing the sensitivity of the moment licked the woman's hand in sympathy and did not complain when Harry gently eased her from Ruth's hands, and placed her down on to the floor.

"Ruth?" Harry said gently, fearing that perhaps he had done something awful – after all, she had not specifically asked for this. He would hate to think that he had overwhelmed her too much too soon, so that she would want to leave already. He tentatively reached forwards and put his hands on her forearms, questioning whether it was alright to hug her, and he was most relieved when she immediately leant herself into his warm embrace. He drew her close to him and hushed her gently whilst the tears continued to flow.

"I'm sorry sweetheart," he whispered gently. "I shouldn't have done this…it was too much…I should have known it would be too much. I just…I just wanted to surprise you."

He was almost relieved when she let out a spasmodic laugh which came out more like a splutter, but he sensed the beginnings of a smile and he began to hope that perhaps she was crying because she was happy.

"You…you did." She sniffed, reaching up to dry her eyes with her cardigan sleeve, but Harry beat her to it, lovingly stroking away the tear tracks with his thumbs. "I just…I…I…you've been so good to me. I really don't know…don't know how to thank you."

"You don't need to." Harry said firmly, stroking hair tenderly. "Call it a gesture of reconciliation after me being such a bastard."

Ruth stared at him for a moment, an odd expression on her face, before Harry realised it was genuine unadulterated love – an expression he had not often seen from her in recent months. "You're not a bastard." She said quietly but firmly after about a minute. "You're a very…kind…gentle man…when you let people see the real you."

It was Harry's turn to blush and he did so admirably, his face turning to the same crimson Ruth's had earlier. However, he could not help but smile at the light tone in her voice, and the hand stroking her hair glided over her cheek briefly. "Do you need any help?" he asked, shrugging off the praise. He heard Scarlett patter away and trot down the stairs again, presumably bored by the lack of attention.

"No…thank you." She said, suddenly shy. "I…I think I can manag-"

Suddenly, she stopped mid-flow of her sentence, an odd, wide-eyed expression falling over her whilst her whole body suddenly tensed. Harry noticed the change immediately and automatically shifted away, studying her carefully.

"Ruth?" he asked her worriedly, becoming even more anxious when her breathing began to shake. "What's wrong? What is it?"

He was not rewarded with a reply; instead she simply stood there staring into space, breathing shallowly and turning white as a sheet.

"Ruth?" Harry tried again, becoming even more worried.

He was about to move his left hand into her right, when she suddenly raised her said hand and slowly drew it up to her body. Harry watched her movement carefully and felt his heart constrict when her hand landed on her stomach. Was there something wrong? Was this some sort of after effect of the hypothermia? Had they not escaped luckily after all? But then, he noticed, she was not showing any indication of any pain, or even frowning. She appeared to have just frozen in shock. And then it dawned on Harry what the cause of Ruth's sudden bewilderment might be.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he reached out a hand and placed it gently on Ruth's stomach, next to her own hand. She did not even flinch at this unusual contact between them, and she remained concentrated for a minute. Harry noticed nothing different and was about to remove his hand in confusion when he felt it. Very faintly. Coming from Ruth's stomach was a series of slight convulsions…very light and faint…but nonetheless, most definitely there.

Harry felt his heart melt right there, and he looked at Ruth who, he was surprised to see, was now staring wide-eyed and awestruck at him. He thought she even looked a little bit frightened so he used his free hand to take her other one, clasping it tightly.

"H…h…Harry." She breathed slowly, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"It's kicking Ruth," he said gently, having to blink away his own tears as he watched her eyes refill once more. "Our baby's kicking."

Both of them felt the movement against her protruding stomach once more before it stopped completely and they looked at each other. For an instant neither of them said anything, sharing a knowing, tearful look for just a few minutes before Ruth burst into happy tears once more. Harry meanwhile, began to laugh quietly in joy, drawing the woman he loved into another tight embrace. He thought vaguely as he kissed her temple repeatedly, that after all these long years in the service, of both their suffering, and with their future career prospects bleak, there had suddenly just been one little moment of magic which had made it all worth it.

Hoped you liked that even if it was pretty uneventful. But next up is the HR date, a death and Harry takes action against Coaver - possibly we may even begin to find out about Elena's involvement. Sorry to those of you who wanted me to reveal the baby's gender, and I was going to, but the greater majority who didn't want me to made me think, and I hope I've found a better time for it to be revealed. Please review and tell me what you think :)