Disclaimer. I still don't own Spooks/MI-5. BBC television and KUDOS productions own all. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred.
1.
Harry walked onto the Grid as the rest of the team appeared to ignore him. He smiled slightly, knowing that Ruth would be aware that he was back from his meeting with the Home Secretary at Whitehall. He headed straight to his office as he realised it would be the last time he would have to face the Home Secretary in person for a while. With the Prime Minister about to finally listen to the advisors the country would soon be on 'lockdown', which meant he was relegated to the Grid as far as Crowther was concerned. The only contact would be Skype and telephone. He really couldn't see a negative to that idea. He knew Ros would be glad of a legitimate reason not to attend Whitehall. All he needed to do was get the morning meeting over with and he and Ros could sit down and try to work out the logistics of running the Section with minimal staffing. He glanced out over the Grid, remembering the ill fated EERIE exercise from years earlier. Only Malcolm, Zoe and Ruth remained from that time, he wondered how well his current Section would cope.
"Harry."
"Yes." He looked up as Ruth stepped into the office. "Are you alright?"
"Just thinking." He turned to face her as she stepped towards him. "Aren't we supposed to be social distancing?"
"Yes, which is why Terri and Graham's post wedding party has been cancelled. She called while you were with Crowther. The hotel has closed due to the Pandemic."
"I dare say we can rearrange."
Ruth smiled slightly, knowing he had been hit hard by Tessa's death, even though she was a traitor he had wanted to see the good in her. Until she had finally gone to far he had always hoped she was some how redeemable. Despite everything it seemed her husband always tried to see the good in people he had once cared about. She touched his hand lightly as his attention turned to her.
"What did the Home Secretary say?"
"Not much. Lots of bluster about Bethsheba and Tessa. Ros put her in her place."
"And you didn't?"
"I think I am getting old." He ran a hand over his face. "And don't say I'm not. I feel every day of my age today."
"Harry."
"It seems we should have been holding more EERIE exercises than we have. This virus, Ruth, its gone global. I know its not the one we thought Tessa had released but its out there, this Pandemic. People have died and are going to die while the governments piss about." He sighed. "Herd immunity. I ask you."
"I know."
"Lockdown is going to be ordered tonight. All non-essential personnel from 5 will be sent home. Either to take leave or to work from home."
Ruth nodded, her face darkening as she remembered the EERIE from years earlier. Danny and Colin had fallen out, Zoe and Tom had been forced to almost shoot their way out of the Grid. She frowned, remembering her own fear; not for herself but for her friends and the man she had just realised she had been in love with for longer than she had let herself think.
"I thought you were dead."
"Ruth?"
"Back then. I didn't think you had any idea, what faking your own death would do to the team." She sighed. "To me."
"We weren't together then." He squeezed her hand as she spoke. Ruth nodded.
"I know." She smiled slightly. "Didn't mean I wasn't in love with you back then. I just hadn't realised until I thought we had lost you." Harry felt his heart break slightly, knowing that he had hoped she liked him but had not had any idea how she had felt about him back then. He shook his head.
"And now, its real. There is a killer virus out there."
"And there is nothing we can do about it?" Ruth bit her lip as he shook his head.
"Briefing Room now." He spoke to her gently before opening his office door to yell the same words across the Grid, knowing it may be the last time he was going to say those words to his Section for a while, if ever again.