'Harry - darling was on the tip of Ruth's tongue, hovering but not quite making it, 'you're missing the point and you need to stop worrying about Adam.'

'I thought I might be – could we have two coffees and a couple of those pastries please,' he asked the young waitress, who as well as unwittingly interrupting Ruth when she was in full flow, has added to his advantage.

The food shopping which was the original reason that they'd ventured out of the house side lined, his suggestion of course, in favour of them doing what he's been imagining since Adam's welcome intervention, or kick up the bum depending how one looks at it. In France today, the two of them having morning coffee in a café and in the future, in a small village as far away from London as possible. Rather than admit she's right and although he hasn't voiced it, is worried about Adam and to a lesser degree Ros. Which makes this a pleasant distraction, until there's another update on what is now a being bandied about in the press, as a search and rescue mission with little hope of finding anyone alive. Presumably to cheer up the relatives of those on the train he'd muttered, when he'd been listening to a reporter he'd vaguely recognised.

'Adam's not only a free spirit Harry but he's the future of the service, you said so yourself,' says Ruth, who despite being acutely aware that this has become a very one-sided conversation is determined to prove a point. 'It was the main reason that you kept him on after Tom and besides, a few more inches of snow aren't going to stop him from doing what he does best, or will he put himself in danger. That and as you rightly say, he and Ros are shaping up to be a formidable partnership. And I might not like her and I certainly wouldn't want to be house sharing with her long term, but I can see the benefits of keeping her on.'

That Harry doesn't respond other than to nod, she pretends not to notice. But what she can't avoid, is that his expression has changed to one where he's now gazing at her in a way that since they'd stayed with Anton and Louisa, is usually reserved for when they're on their own. Not that she doesn't want Harry to adore her because she does, and in every conceivable way. But preferably in the confines of their bedroom. Which means that now, just thinking about his abilities to make her stop talking, are creating an image of Harry, whose hands and consequently fingers have the ability of a concert pianist, bringing her very steadily to the climax of whatever piece of music he just happens to have chosen. Which as Adam and Ros won't be there and if you discount the one night in the hotel, means that this will be the first time that they can be sure that she'll be the only person begging him for an encore.

'Putting to one side, the fact that you should wear red more often Ruth,' something which he neatly delivers, not only confirms that he knows exactly where her mind has gone, but enhances his advantage even further. To the extent and despite her best efforts to ignore him, gets to the point where she's about to say bugger the shopping why don't we just go back to the house? Only to hear a tiny voice in her head say, do you really want to go out again later?

.

What neither of them know when they're unpacking what they've bought, which is just as well in Ruth's case and vital in Harry's, because had he'd known, Ros would have got the door slammed firmly in her face when it came to staying on in the section, is that despite Adam telling her to back off and knowing that they're sharing a bedroom, she still doesn't view their relationship as being significant. But needing to talk about something and with very little else to work with, she settles on asking Adam to open up about losing Fiona.

Which he does, by telling her that 'when it happened, he'd gone to pieces. Resulting in behaviour, which even now he regrets. And if hadn't been for Ruth and Harry, offering both their individual and combined support, he'd have probably been dismissed. So as unlikely as they might appear to an outsider, they are as well matched as any couple he's ever met.'

'I don't do soppy, I never have,' is her response.

'Then why ask me about Fiona?'

'Because that was different.'

'And you see Harry and Ruth's relationship as what Ros – something to be ignored?'

'We'll obviously.'

'Then I think we need to rewind here. Because what part of don't underestimate the depth of their feelings for each other, didn't I make clear?'

Not being someone who was used to being put in her place, Ros was just about to respond by saying, everyone has a right to an opinion, when Adam's expression caused her to mentally step back. Ros, the firm believer that the best way not to get hurt, was not to get involved in the first place, surprised herself by saying, 'in which case I assume that's the reason you're so keen to protect them.'

Leaving it at that and as satisfied as he could be, that this was the last time that he'd have to defend Harry and Ruth in any way shape or form, they reached their destination without any further discussion. At the end of what had been a two hour walk, across terrain where the marked trails that crisscrossed the mountains were buried under feet of snow. Now very cold, despite the warm clothing they were wearing and desperately in need of a hot drink, they were directed to where coffee, tea and pretty much everything apart from alcohol, was available in a purpose-built cabin set up to provide meals and drinks at all hours of the day and night. Airlifted in by one of two military helicopters which were circling overhead, along with washrooms and other assorted buildings, designed to accommodate those who would ultimately have to deal with whoever and whatever they found when the entrance to tunnel was uncovered.

That there was a lull in proceedings, preventing the two diggers which had provided a temporary road in from carving out a path to where that was, was explained by the provider of their drinks. Simple and fairly obvious, was that until the civilian mountain rescue team with its dogs, had established whether or not there was anyone buried in the area outside the tunnel, the access to the site had been restricted to the military, the four members of the French Security Services who had been staying at the same hotel and now them. Who once they introduced themselves, confirmed that they too, without going into details, were here with the specific orders to ensure that this was nothing more than an accident.

Fast forward and, 'it's looks as though we're here for the duration, so we'd better ring in,' said Adam, when mid- afternoon the arc lights were switched on. The promise of the hot meal which they knew Harry and Ruth were preparing for them, no longer an option. Substituted by what they later discovered, was akin to the meals which had been served up in the TV series M.A.S.H. In the same way that a sense of camaraderie was building. Their combined thoughts, mentally aligned with the dogs who were straining on their leashes, in the hope that an extended search of the area would allow things to move on.

'Penny for them?' asked Adam, when Ros who had been very quiet turned to look at him.

'Harry, all those years ago, not so far from here. The not knowing what the next few hours would bring. Then finding his friend and all these years later, still only being able to guess what happened. I don't think I'd have wanted to come back either.'

.

They ate and they slept, remarkably well considering where they were. The sleeping bags and blankets keeping out the worst of the bitter cold, until five in the morning when the sound of diggers on the move brought them back to reality. That until the entrance to the tunnel was uncovered, they had to keep out of the way, went against the grain, but neither they or their French counterparts argued. Instead, they headed over to where breakfast was being served up to those who had been working through the night.

'Not yet, not until we know what we're dealing with,' was not only sound but surprising advice from Ros, when Adam pulled out his phone to ring Harry. 'Having agreed to step back and let us get on with it, that's exactly what we're going to do. Besides, he's got Ruth with him and he's hardly going to abandon her in favour of a hike across the hills, is he?'

You're learning thought Adam, whilst mentally conceding that if he was anywhere other than here, he'd chance his arm and kiss Ros Myers.

Instead, accepting the cup of tea that was being handed to him, by a soldier who looked to be about the same age as he was. Before, just as Ros had before they'd gone to bed, his thoughts turned to Harry. A much younger and less careworn Harry, who all those years ago had been one of a small group who to had come all this way, to create what had over the years been the scene of meetings, which to this day had never recorded. A project that they'd succeeded in completing, despite it being marred by the loss of one of their own. Harry, a man who treated him as an equal and in his opinion, more than any of them, deserved to get what he wanted out of life.

Thoughts which were replaced by a surge of adrenalin, when they and their French counterparts were finally allowed into the tunnel. A walk of some distance carrying torches, confirming that the train consisted of eight carriages and that the physical and mental condition of the passengers varied. Pre-existing medical conditions, dehydration and hyperthermia, having been confined for hours in a damp and cold tunnel, combined with barely contained hysteria in some cases, meant that there were more than forty people who needed airlifting to a hospital.

The remainder once they'd been checked over and had something to eat and drink, were going to be driven to a hotel. Including James Allan, who despite spending the best part of twenty-four hours underground in a freezing cold carriage, did the moment he saw him, elevate himself to the dizzy heights that he thought his position warranted. Shamefully ignoring his fellow passengers, some of whom, despite not having injuries, including a couple with a young child, were struggling under the weight of their experience. Which was a clear as mud to anyone who had a jot of compassion and was why Ros had weighed in and was helping.

Leaving Adam to deal with the Foreign Secretary, who over somebody's shoulder was demanding to see Harry at once. Which given the seriousness of what was happening around them, made Adam want to hit him. Only prevented by doing it, by the thought of Harry's restraining hand on his arm. At the same time as he was wondering how the Foreign Secretary was going to respond, when he told him that he might have to rethink his definition of at once?'