Reunited?

Harry sat at the head of the table as Ros briefed the team on what had happened. He felt sick, knowing that despite them apparently covering all angles had lost Ruth. He rubbed his temple as Adam walked in, apologising for being late.

"Good of you to join us."

"I was with Alec. He's at the safe house. There's been no attempt to contact him. He's laying low but has been talking to some contacts in IA. Could be a chink in the armour there." Adam frowned as Ros and Lucas exchanged glances. He knew they were both more worried about Harry than Ruth. It was no secret that he had a past but Alec literally throwing it in his face and the subsequent disappearance of Ruth had affected him. They just didn't know how badly. Ros nodded at Tariq as he started to explain how he had found the off shore account where Bethsheba had been paying the traitor.

Xxxxx

Ruth swallowed hard, the fear and nausea building as she stepped out of the car below Thames House. Spencer smirked, his eyes running over her.

"I won't do this if I am being watched." She pulled out a small button the thug that had worked for Spencer had given her. "I won't have you listening in when I am with my husband."

Spencer smirked. "Ok, fair enough. But remember we have insurance. You are our Trojan horse."

Ruth glared at him. "You need me."

"And I'm sure you know I can break you too." Ruth shook her head before turning and heading into the entrance below Thames House. She was going to tell Harry everything. The thug that seemed to run MI 5 was not going to win. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, checking it for signs it had been bugged. Satisfied she text Harry. 'Meet me usual place x 5 mins. R xxx'

Xxxxx

Harry looked out over the Briefing Room as Ros gave out jobs and Erin began to outline plans to search for Ruth. He frowned as the mobile phone in his pocket bleeped. He checked the message as his pulse quickened.

"Erin. Ruth has made contact. Concentrate on original plan. Keep Alec in the loop. I'll deal with this." His look broached no room for argument so Erin nodded before following the others out of the Briefing Room. It was Ros who hung back.

"Contact?"

"Yes." Harry nodded. "You will know the full details as soon as I do."

Ros raised an eyebrow, aware that was all the explanation she was likely to get. Harry sighed.

"She's alive. For now, I'm happy with that."

Xxxxxxxx

Ruth stared out over the cityscape. The anger had begun to abate and she knew that she had to talk to Harry on his own, make him see that her acting as a double agent was the only way they were going to break Bethsheba. She turned so her back was to the railing. The roof was the only place where cctv was not used, the reception was too weak to be of any use.

"Ruth?"

She smiled as she saw her husband walk towards her. Biting her lip she stepped forward meeting him halfway before hugging him to her. He kissed her hair as her hold on him tightened.

"Harry."

"How? Ruth?"

"They think I believe everything Alec said. They've no interest in using him. It's me, Harry. They think I'm going to be their Trojan horse. That I am willingly going to destroy Section D. You."

Harry held her at arms length. Her eyes filled with tears.

"No."

"I'm ok. I can do this. If it means we get the man who murdered Maria and expose Bethsheba and that traitor then." She held his gaze as Harry frowned. The thought of her being directly in the firing line made him feel physically sick.

"There has to be another way."

"I don't see how."

"Ruth, this is you acting as a double agent. They find out it's all an act and your dead." She closed her eyes for a moment, the intensity of his gaze making her question everything she had so carefully worked out in her mind. He kissed her forehead as her eyes fluttered opened.

"It won't come to that. I've got you and the others to make sure that doesn't happen. And even if it does, It's my choice."

"Don't you dare say it's your turn." Harry held her upper arms tightly, almost angry. "No, no it's not. It's never anyone's turn. It's this bloody evil job we have. In this world."

"Harry." Ruth spoke calmly. "Don't " her voice held firm. "I know that scene in the ballroom was staged. I know you and I know you aren't the man you were when you joined the Service. I'm not the same either. Yes we see evil in this job but we also stop that evil and we will stop this. Spencer sanctioned murder. He's hired a hitman even the Triads won't touch. Bethsheba is just a front as far as I can see. An ideology that Spencer has subscribed to. For once we have them on the back foot."

"When we realised you were missing." He sighed. "None of that mattered. Nothing matters if."

She kissed him hard on the lips, effectively silencing him as he pulled her into an alcove away from the night air. Ruth pulled away when the need for oxygen overwhelmed her. "We're together." She touched his face. "That's all that matters. Nothing is going to change that."

Xxxxxxxx