Hello people!x

Thanks for bearing with me for so long. I've finished all my exams and stuff for this year so I'll be able to get more chapters done!x Anyway - enjoy!x

There was a knock at the door. It opened and Hen came in with her usual smile. She was a little taken aback at the sight of Jim standing in between Humphrey and Bernard, but she chose to ignore it.

"Hello boys," she said brightly. "Having fun I hope!"

She didn't get an answer from any of them.

"Well," she continued. "I hate to break up the party atmosphere in here, but I've just had a call from the Home Office and then these arrived."

She held up a pile of papers.

"And let's just say they're not best pleased."

"What about?" asked Jim.

"This bloody BCC thing," said Hen. "I've had Richard-sodding-Mathieson chewing my ear off for the last fifteen minutes."

Humphrey, who had relaxed a little, turned to her.

"Oh," he said. "What was he saying?"

"Hmm, let's see if I can remember," said Hen. "Oh yes; 'I've got this frigging chemical thing hanging over on my frigging shoulders and it's not even my frigging department's frigging problem. Your frigging department better get its frigging act together frigging sharpish and sort out this frigging mess or the whole frigging problem and the blame for it will be shoved at my frigging door.'"

Jim's eyes widened.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"I thanked him for the frigging phone call and asked him if he would be kind enough to leave my frigging department to get on with it and would he frig off and do some work of his own," said Hen. "Oh yes, and I told him to mind his frigging language and put the phone down."

This answer got some smiles from the men in the room.

"So what do we do about this frigging problem?" asked Jim.

"Well I've come up with one or two ideas," said Hen, taking a file from under her pile of the Home Office telegrams. "But there's a slight problem. We don't have a lot of time to get this sorted and this is going to take forever."

"What do you suggest?" asked Jim.

"Well only that we stay here basically all night for the next couple of days," said Hen.

"Oh God," said Jim, screwing up his face. "And there's really no other way?"

Hen shook her head.

"Afraid not," she said apologetically.

"Oh well," said Jim. "What must be done must be done I suppose. Who's going to stay then?"

He looked to Humphrey.

Humphrey put on his best apologetic tone and tried to look sad.

"Well Minister of course I'd…" he began.

"But you can't" finished Jim. "Fine. Bernard?"

"I would of course, but I can't actually this week Minister," he replied.

"I'll do it," said Hen.

"Will you?" asked Jim.

"I don't mind," she said. "And it's not like I have anything better to do."

Jim could have sworn that her eyes flickered in Bernard's direction.

"Well if you're sure?" he asked.

"Absolutely," she said brightly. "Looking forward to it actually."

"Hen," said Humphrey, looking at his Goddaughter carefully. "If you are going to volunteer for this, where are you going to stay?"

"At the flat," said Hen.

"Humphrey looked confused.

"You know," said Hen. "The one Daddy bought near Knightsbridge for when he was working in London. He said I could have it if I ended up working late… or something."

Again Jim could have sworn that Hen glanced in Bernard's direction.

"Oh that flat," said Humphrey. "But do you want to be getting across London at Lord knows what time of night alone? Anything could happen."

"Oh Humphrey," said Jim, getting into the conversation. "You don't think I would let the lady wander around London on her own? I can sort her out with a car or at the very least a taxi."

Humphrey still didn't look convinced.

"Uncle Humphrey," said Hen gently. "I'm a big girl now. You don't have to worry about me anymore."

"I'll always worry about you my dear," said Humphrey. "No matter how old you are."

"Yes," agreed Jim. "I'm forever worrying about my Lucy, however much she tells me not to."

Hen smiled.

"You know I'll always be grateful that that you're thinking of me Uncle Humphrey," she said. "But please, don't go too far. You've got to have some faith in me."

"I do have faith in you my dear," said Humphrey. "And a lot of it. That's why in your first week of employment in the Civil Service, you are going to be the soul administrator responsible for working to solve a problem with the British Chemical Corporation."

Hen smiled and walked over to Humphrey and gave him a hug.

"You know Uncle Humphrey," she said. "I've always said you were wonderful!"

For my reviewers who I thank most heartily :) And for Laura who is probably glad that she's not seen me for a while so she hasn't had to listen to me witter on about Yes Minister endlessly!x

Luv Claire!x