Sitting up in bed, Alison had her book balanced in her lap, her knees bent upwards. Q had his legs stretched in front of him and was reading the day's news on his phone. Alison had put her phone on to charge, placing it on her bedside table. Q's eyes had occasionally drifted off to the side to look to Alison. He noted that she hadn't flipped the page in over ten minutes. Placing his phone down on the bedside table next to him, Q sighed and placed a hand on her knee.

"What's wrong?" he asked from her.

"He still hasn't called me," Alison said, looking to her phone. She pressed a button on it and it lit up, but still didn't show any messages. "I have left him four messages. Dad always calls me."

"But he might still be out?" Q offered, trying to stop her from worrying too much. He didn't want her to be worried. "It has only been a few hours."

"You are talking to the man who calls me back in seconds if I need him," Alison said.

"He has gotten slightly lax since he retired," Q reminded her. "Besides, it might be that he is out of charge and is out? Alison, I would not worry about him. He is an international spy. He is able to look after himself."

"And what if Blofeld wasn't lying?" Alison asked, shutting her book and placing it on the bedside table. She turned to look to him then, propping herself up on her pillows. Q also rested on his side, looking to her as he adjusted his glasses on his nose.

"Alison, you cannot believe a word that he said," Q said to her. "You know Madeleine. You know who she is and what she is like more than Blofeld. If you don't then your father certainly does. He is besotted with her…he loves her…"

Alison sighed and closed her eyes for a second. Q reached out again and took hold of her hand, holding onto it tightly. She opened her eyes to meet his gaze and she smiled over to him. He moved closer and kissed her chastely, his lips tingling against her skin.

"I am being dramatic," she admitted, "but he freaked me out."

"I understand that," Q assured her. "When it comes to your father you can never be too cautious and I get that, but this is Blofeld we are talking about. He is probably cramped up in a cell and happy that he has made you question your father and Madeleine like this."

"I know," Alison said. "I will try to forget it, but I am telling my dad. He needs to know. Blofeld just got in my head with what he said…things I had done my best to block out…like everything Carl did…killing my mother."

"Don't let him do this," Q urged from her. "Don't let him get into your head. He does not deserve any moment of your thoughts."

"I'll try," Alison said to Q.

"Okay," Q said. "We should try to get some sleep. Your phone is on loud volume, I assume?"

"Correct," Alison said.

"Then just try to sleep. You will hear the phone when Bond calls…we will make sure of that," Q said to her and he peeled his glasses from his eyes. Placing them next to his phone, he turned out his light as Alison took a final drink of her water and lay down on her side.

"Q?" Alison mumbled into the dark once she had turned her light off.

"Yeah?" he asked her.

"Everything is going to be okay, isn't it?" she checked with him and Q sighed softly to himself. Blofeld had really shaken her up. Moving closer to her, Q stuffed one arm underneath her pillow and moved the other to drape over her waist, her back pressed to his front.

"Listen to me," Q urged, his warm breath on her neck as he let his hand fiddle with the ring on her finger. "Everything is going to be fine. We're going to get married and your father will be there with Madeleine. We are going to live a boring life where the most excitement we have is discovering a new food market."

Alison hummed contently. "That is exciting though," she said to him and he chuckled.

"I am glad you think so because that is as wild as our life will now get," he said to her and she closed her eyes, feeling a few moments of contentment wash over her. "I promise you, Alison, everything will be fine."

"I love you," Alison muttered into the pillow and Q kissed the side of her neck.

"I love you too," Q responded, "now get some sleep."

Q kept hold of Alison and closed his eyes. He began to drift off slowly, feelings Alison's breathing become shallower too. Q had been in the throes of sleep when he heard the phone begin to ring. Alison was answering it in an instant, moving Q's arm from her waist as she sat up and picked it up, allowing her eyes to adjust to the screen.

"Dad?" she checked.

"Ali, whatever is the matter?" Bond asked and Q shifted onto his back as Alison sat up.

"Where have you been? I have been trying to get hold of you for hours."

"My phone died and I have only just charged it."

"Suspected so," Q whispered.

"Anyway, I need to talk to you," Alison said. "I got a letter in the post the other day from M. He…he needed my help. Blofeld had been in touch with him saying that he had secret information, but he would only give it to me. Blofeld asked to see me, dad."

"What?" Bond snapped down the phone, tone curt as Q remained on his back, peering into the darkness. He rested his hands on his stomach as Bond continued talking. "Alison, why did you not tell me about this? Why did M not tell me about this?"

"You would never have let me go knowingly."

"Of course I bloody wouldn't," Bond spat out. "But judging from your tone, you did go."

"I didn't know what to do," Alison admitted. "I didn't want to go, but I thought that maybe Blofeld had something. Turns out he didn't…well…I think he just wanted me there to gloat about what he knew. He knew that I was engaged and he knew that you were with Madeleine and then he said something about her…about how she was keeping a secret."

"What?" Bond asked, trying to wrap his head around what he was hearing.

"I know," Alison said. "It sounds crazy, dad, and it was crazy."

"How did he know all of that?"

"M is looking into who he has contact with," Alison said. "I mean, he only got me there to taunt me and it worked. Anyway, I left and told M that I would tell you what happened."

"You should have told me before you went," Bond said and Alison sensed his terse tone.

"Well, I didn't," she responded. "It's happened and we know now that he had nothing to contribute. It's fine."

"Still odd," Bond said. "Promise me you will not do anything like that again."

"Promise," Alison said. "Listen, dad, I am sorry for worrying you, but honestly I am fine. M will probably call you to fill you in too."

"I will call him in the morning," Bond said. "What time is it there now?"

"Almost midnight," Alison said.

"You should get some sleep, Ali," Bond said. "You have work in the morning."

"Okay," Alison agreed. "You're not mad at me, are you?" She felt like a teenager again, not wanting her father to be upset with her. She heard him sigh to himself.

"No," he assured her, voice soft and gentle. "I just wish that you had told me, Ali."

"Sorry," she said again, "but everything is fine. I'll talk to you later, yeah?"

"Yeah," Bond confirmed. "Love you, Ali."

"Love you too, dad," Alison said and she hung up, placing the phone back down on the table. She let out a relieved breath and went to lay back down. Q moved again to the same position they had occupied.

"You okay?"

"Better now," Alison confirmed.

"Good," Q whispered. "Goodnight, Ali."

"Night, Q."

It was another month before Bond and Madeleine returned back to London. Alison had asked Madeleine for help and the older woman wondered what she could possibly help her with. It was only when they met did everything become clear. Standing outside the bridal store, Alison looked to Madeleine as she approached and looked to the shop front. Holding her hands up, Alison wondered if this was a step too far.

"You don't have to come in if you don't want to," Alison blurted out. "I should have told you that this was my plan before we met, but I didn't think…well…I didn't think about how weird it might be…I mean, you are dating my dad and everything, but I didn't think this would be awkward."

Madeleine shook her head, not wanting the young woman to feel put off. She said nothing for a moment and then moved to take hold of Alison by the arm. She held it softly and smiled over to her.

"You don't need to think this is awkward," Madeleine promised her, voice gentle. "I would have been happy to come with you. I am just happy that you asked me."

"Well, the majority of my friends live in York still. They stayed there after university and you…well…you have got great style," Alison said to her and Madeleine looked down to the tight fitted white dress she wore with strappy heels and a soft brown mac coat. "Honestly, I wish that I could steal your wardrobe and I wanted you to be here because I know things are serious with my dad."

"Alison, I want to help," she said to her. "I want to help find you a wedding dress."

"Okay, excellent, because I have no idea what I am looking for," Alison smiled and Madeleine wrapped her arm into hers.

"Then I can help," she promised and dragged the young woman into the store.

"Where have you been?" Q asked as soon as the door to the apartment opened and Alison walked in with Madeleine in tow. Bond had arrived at the apartment at five, the same time Alison had said she would be home. Q and James had sat and made small talk over beers, waiting for the two women to return home before they went out for dinner.

"No!" Madeleine snapped as Alison tried to hide the small white bag that contained the veil she had brought home. The dress was in the store for alterations. "Turn around!"

Q did as he was told, scared by Madeleine's snapping voice as Alison laughed and rushed into her bedroom with the bag. Bond caught sight of the store name and noted it said bridal store on it. Arching his brow, Bond looked to Madeleine as she winked over to him. She had been worried to begin with, concerned that her history would be revealed after Blofeld's comments, but she had been safe. M had clearly dug into her and found nothing. She had been grateful for that, knowing that if James knew then that would be it. She would miss out on what she currently had and that was a family. She felt like she had a family.

"What could have been in that bag?" Q demanded as he was informed he could turn back around.

Alison left the bedroom, closing the door behind her and she tossed her hair behind her shoulders, smiling as she greeted her fiancée, kissing him quickly as he held onto her waist.

"Something you cannot see," she said to him. "So do not look in my wardrobe."

"Would not dream of it," Q said to her.

"I trust you two had a good day?" Bond asked, sipping on his beer.

Alison went to sit on the arm of the armchair as Q sat in the seat. She draped her arm over his shoulders and nodded her head.

"Really good," Alison said.

"We lost track of the time," Madeleine said, sitting next to Bond. "We went for a couple of drinks after shopping."

"Well, luckily the table is booked for seven," Bond said. "So we should get going in a few minutes."

"Sounds good," Madeleine agreed with him.

"Okay, just give me a moment to change," Alison said.

"Yes, I should put a different shirt on," Q said.

Standing up, James watched the two of them move into Alison's bedroom, Q talking to Alison and making her laugh as they went. Once the door was shut, he peered down to Madeleine who had also been looking after them, a smile on her lips.

"Did she find one?" Bond asked her.

"She did," Madeleine confirmed. "She is going to look amazing, James."

"I do not doubt it," James said. "And you were okay with going with her? I know it is a pretty big deal."

"I enjoyed it," she said with a nod. "It was good fun and it felt nice…like I am part of her life."

"Well you are," James said to her. "And I hope it stays that way."

"So do I," Madeleine said and kissed him, trying to ignore the sense of dread in her stomach.

A/N: Do let me know what you think!