a/n I don't know if anyone has read this. I hope its ok and that its done the events of the last couple of weeks justice.

3 - At rest

The day had gone without a hitch. Everyone had been done perfectly with all the ceremony a Royal Funeral should have. Ruth had to admit she was proud of her team. None of them had ever expected that they would be the ones dealing with the Security Services role in the events of the last few days but they had been. She rested her head on her hands as she looked around the deserted Grid. It was over. The ten days of National Mourning had reached the end with the Monarch receiving her funeral as she had planned with her staff years earlier. She bit her lip as she thought of all the changes that the death of the Queen would bring to the country.

"Ruth?"

"Mn?" She turned to see Harry return to the Grid. He loosened the black tie he wore as he reached her. He felt as if he hadn't slept since that fateful Thursday when he had been told the plan to initiate Operation London Bridge were under way. He smiled at Ruth as he approached her desk, perching himself on the edge.

"Are you ok?"

"Yes." She smiled at him for a moment as he raised his eyebrows. "I'm tired. It's been, well. I don't know. But everything has changed now. Hasn't it?"

"We have a King now. A new regime in Number 10 - if you believe them. Pauline Crowther has resigned. Says she cannot work with that, and I quote, 'infernal bloody woman' so we will have a new Home Secretary to deal with soon."

"Great." Ruth slumped back in her chair. "Have you told Ros?"

"No."

"You better had. Before it reaches the press."

"I will. I will." He shrugged.

"Change." Ruth sighed. "It's inevitable, I know that but it doesn't mean I have to like it. I can't believe so much has happened. The team."

"Have been outstanding." Harry finished her sentence. "I know, I couldn't be prouder of each of them if I tried. Totally unprecedented situation and they just stepped up. I should include that in their pay review next year."

"Yes, you should." Ruth squeezed his hand. "What will it mean? For us? Section D? New Home Secretary, new Monarchy."

"It's not really a new government." Harry paused. "New figureheads but same old regime. We navigate it as best we can. Like we always do." He looked over the Grid, amazed that everyone had actually done as they were told and gone home. "I don't know if I'll be here much longer, Ruth."

"You better be." Ruth tightened her grip on his hand.

"As Section Head I mean."

"I know." Ruth watched him closely. "But you don't have to decide that now. Let the dust settle. See how you are when we are dealing with the usual cases again. None of this has been normal, even by our standards."

Harry nodded. "I am not getting any younger."

"Well, you are younger than the King and he's just taken on a new job." Ruth smiled as Harry rolled his eyes. "Home. There's nothing more we can do now. Take me home." She got to her feet, taking his other hand as he closed his eyes. He was bone weary. Ruth shook her head, slipping her hand in to his jacket pocket she took the car keys from him. "I'll drive."

"Ruth."

"I think we all did our best. The media have covered every aspect they wanted to. We have had total control over the security, and nothing went wrong. One arrest that the press reported but nothing to do with our team. Let the police deal with that. I think we did her Majesty and the Royal Family proud. Now we can go home, get some rest."

"Before the next case." Harry sighed as she pulled him to his feet. She nodded. "Come on then." He kissed her forehead before leading her out of the Grid.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucas poured hot water into the mugs as Ros walked into the kitchen. Both children and the dogs were in bed as he handed Ros the coffee.

"All ok?"

"Yeah." Ros took the drink from him. "It's done." She glanced at the clock on the microwave, wincing when she saw the time. "It's been a hell of a week."

"Hasn't it just." Lucas sipped his own drink. "All the attention seems to be on the celebrities who did or didn't line up in the queue."

"Well, that keeps the attention off us. Let the vultures attack their own for once." She sipped her drink, eyes closed as she let herself relax. Lucas sat at the kitchen table, too tired to move. The previous ten days had been full on from the moment that Harry had announced the plan was to be enacted. He looked up as Ros emptied what was left of her drink down the sink.

"We did well." Ros stated. "All of us. I know none of the Section like working with the RPS and now we have had to do it twice in a matter of months. But they did well."

"Especially the juniors. None of us expected this, Ros." He ran a hand over his face. She nodded.

"Nothing we encounter is expected. Not really." She paused. "But everything has changed. Its all going to be that little bit different now. The Queen supported us, classed us the same as the Armed Forces. That just made our lives and work so much easier."

"She was a good woman."

"She was." Ros paused. "I just hope the new PM and the King have the same opinion. Ever think you're getting too old for this?"

"Never." Lucas got to his feet. "You're exhausted, Ros. We all are. Time to rest. We've done our duty as best we can. Now we rest." He hugged her to him before leading her to the bedroom.