Well here it is - the final chapter of "The Departmental Affair" Hope you like it and stay tuned for future stories!x

Hen was already at her desk when Jim arrived on Monday morning.

"Good morning Hen," he said cheerfully. "Looking forwards to our showdown with the Home Office."

Hen barely smiled.

"Erm Minister…" she began nervously. "Look, about that um thing in the car… on Friday."

Jim put on a look of confusion.

"What thing?" he asked, then smiled. "Nothing happened did it?"

"Thank you Minister," said Hen and smiled gratefully.

"Now about that other… thing," said Jim.

"What other thing?" asked Hen, a little nervously.

"Bernard," mouthed Jim as he looked around him incase anyone – especially Bernard himself came in.

"Oh God," sighed Hen. "Me and my big mouth. Why on earth did I have to let that slip?"

"Oh I won't say anything to him," said Jim.

"Please don't Minister," said Hen as she threaded a sheet of paper into her typewriter. "I could just imagine the atmosphere in here."

"Hmm, so can I," said Jim, thinking of how life in the Private Office would be when Hen and Bernard realised that they were both in love with each other.

The door to the Private Office opened and in came Bernard.

"Good morning Minister, Hen," he said, smiling at each of them in turn.

"Morning Bernard," replied Jim and Hen in unison.

"What time is Humphrey coming?" asked Jim. "We have to discuss Hen's Propanol paper before our meeting with the Home Office."

Bernard took the diary from his desk and flipped it open to that day's events.

"Half past one Minister," said Bernard. "After your questions session in the House."

"Excellent," said Jim. He looked between Bernard and Hen and smiled. "Right well, I'll leave you two to it."

Jim went into his own office leaving Bernard and Hen alone in the Private Office. They looked at one another awkwardly.

"Did you have a nice weekend?" asked Hen after a few moments silence.

"Oh yes," Bernard replied. "Very good. What about yourself?"

"Yes, went back home to Haslemere on Saturday," replied Hen.

There was more strained silence in the office, broken only by Hen's typing.

"Well I'd better get the Minister's papers ready for his question time," said Bernard.

Hen stopped typing and looked up at him.

"Oh yes," she said. "Anything about the Propanol thing coming up?"

"Oh yes," said Bernard looking through a list of written questions. "Several questions actually."

"Official brush off then?" asked Hen. "'We must wait until after the meeting with the British Chemical Corporation which will take place later in the week'?"

Bernard nodded.

"Well," he said. "I'd better go and get him ready."

"Good luck," said Hen with a smile.

"Thank you," said Bernard. "I'll see you later for the Home Office meeting."

"Yes," said Hen. "Looking forward to it."

She watched as Bernard went into Jim's office. She then hit her forehead on the palm of her hand.

"Oh for God's sake Fairfax," she reprimanded herself sharply. "Get it together."

Bernard had decided to go on ahead of Jim to the House of Commons, leaving Jim, rather unusually, to go with Humphrey.

"Incidentally Humphrey," said Jim. "I had a rather interesting conversation with your Goddaughter on Friday evening."

"Oh really Minister?" replied Humphrey, not sounding all that interested. And what, if I may be so bold as to enquire, was discussed?"

"Oh I found out some very interesting information," said Jim. "Very interesting actually."

"And what was so interesting?" asked Humphrey sounding slightly more interested now.

Jim smiled. He felt a little guilty about betraying Hen's confidence, but realised he could have too much fun with it.

"She's in love with him," he said.

"What?" asked Humphrey, confused. "With who?"

"A certain Principal Private Sec who happens to be in love with her," said Jim with a mischievous grin.

Humphrey's face turned several shades of pale.

"If this is a joke, the one fails to find any trace of amusement at all," he said, staring hard at Jim.

"Oh no joke Humphrey," said Jim brightly. "She didn't tell me intentionally of course, but it turns out that Hen does indeed possess a liking for Bernard as he does for her."

Humphrey's face turned even paler if that was possible.

"Wouldn't it be nice though Humphrey," said Jim. "If they were to start… courting."

Humphrey looked as though he was going to have a heart attack.

"Over my dead body," he snapped. "This must be stopped."

"It hasn't even started yet," pointed out Jim.

"Exactly," said Humphrey. "It must be stopped before anything gets the chance to start. He's got to go."

"You mean Bernard?" asked Jim.

"Yes of course I mean Bernard," snapped Humphrey.

"Don't you think you're over-reacting a little?" asked Jim.

Humphrey didn't reply, but a look of absolute horror remained on his face.

"I don't see what is so bad about it," said Jim. "You're always saying that Bernard is a high flyer and Hen is too so they'll both go far. And they're both very intelligent and they seem to get on very well together."

Again Humphrey remained silent.

"And besides," went on Jim. "If they do start courting, then as Bernard works in you department, you will be able to keep an eye on the… the situation."

Humphrey pondered this idea for a moment. His look of horror left his face slightly.

"That's a thought," he said softly. "Not that there will ever be a relationship. But yes, it's a thought."

That afternoon Hen finished typing up the agenda and an overview of Dr Hawthorne's plans in multiple copies for the impending meeting with the Home Office. She went into Jim's office to put out the papers on the large table in front of the window where the meeting would take place. As she opened the door she was surprised to find Bernard already there.

"Oh," she said in surprise. "Hello. I didn't expect to see you here yet."

"Yes, I came back from the House early in order to prepare for the Home Office meeting," replied Bernard.

"Right," said Hen. "I've just finished the agenda and an overview of Dan's plans."

"Dan?" asked Bernard.

"Dr Daniel Hawthorne," explained Hen. "He helped me come up with a solution to this stupid Propanol problem. We'd still be at it if I hadn't got in touch with him."

"Oh," said Bernard. "Is Dr Hawthorne a… a good friend of yours?"

"No," replied Hen, seeming oblivious to the real meaning of Bernard's question. "Well not so much now. We were at university together. Although he was in the science lot we knew each other quite well, he lived on the same floor as me for a while – we shared a kitchen."

"Oh I see," said Bernard, clearly relieved. "Good."

Hen stepped forwards closer to the table just as Bernard stepped forwards away from it. They bumped into one another and then stood in very close proximity to each other.

"Um so do you think that the um the meeting will go well?" asked Hen.

"Let's hope so," replied Bernard. "Um so you and erm, you and Dr Hawthorne aren't… you're not…"

"No," replied Hen shaking her head.

"So you're not… you're single then?" he asked.

"Yes," replied Hen. "And… and you?"

"Yes," said Bernard. "Me too."

Hen nodded. She looked at him for a moment.

"Good," she whispered softly.

Without realising it, they had moved even closer together. They stood looking intently at each other before Hen moved her head in closer to Bernard's. At the same second Bernard moved his head closer to hers. After a few tense second, their lips finally met.

They broke apart and once again stood looking at one another.

"Um…" began Hen, then stopped.

"Er…" said Bernard, then he too stopped.

Hen dropped her papers on the table and they began to kiss again. Hen put her arms around Bernard's waist and he put his arms around her neck and they kissed passionately – a week of frustrated looks across the office turned into their passionate kisses.

Two minutes later the door to the office opened. Jim walked into the office, followed by Humphrey.

"…and as I have said before…" Jim was saying, but was cut short by what he saw in front of him.

"Oh," was all he could say.

Humphrey's eyes looked as though they were going to fall out of his head.

Hen and Bernard were to embraced in each other to notice that they had been interrupted.

"Well erm Humphrey," said Jim, tearing his eyes away from the kissing couple. "Shall we leave them to it do you think? Leave the meeting until later?"

Humphrey watched the young couple, clearly heavily involved in their own personal departmental affair. He then turned and followed Jim out of the door, before eventually finding his voice.

"Yes Minister."

For Laura - my inspiration and drinking partner. We'll have a drink in Jeykll and Hyde soon and discuss later stories!xxx

Bye for now!x

Luv Claire!x