Rahainia - thanks for the review. Yeah, normally he would be a 'Dr' but she was introduced to him as a 'Mr' it has become a rather irritating habit to keep it that way. I completely agree with the new 'T' rating points to the rating see? In my defence it did actually start life as a K+ fic but I'm very naughty andI love to swear

SAGA123 -thank you so much,I'm glad you've enjoyed it! I know, I call him 'Hank' cos that's what they call him in the comix -facepalm-

Talking of which.
There is a quote in this chapter from 'E is for Extinction', it doesn't carry the same weight as it does in the book but it's just so…Henry, that I couldn't resist working it in somewhere. He's such a good man sighs

Chapter five

It had been a fairly good speech, though he had felt Isabelle fall asleep against his arm once or twice. The drive back had been nice too, with her pressed against him, his arm around her shoulders. She'd barely made it out of the car on her own, sleepy as she was, but the highlight had been when she had kissed his cheek softly, innocently, ever so slightly tipsy from the wine she had drunk and thanked him for a lovely evening. Hank smiled, reaching up absent mindedly to touch his cheek, almost believing he could still feel her lips there, as he opened the door,

"Good Morning, Miss Caley" He murmured. She looked up from her desk, beaming a smile at him that held more warmth than he'd previously seen,

"Morning, Mr McCoy, tea?"

"Please, ah, and would you mind bringing in the Tudoroy file too please? Thank you" She nodded as he slid into his room. He was surprised, but touched, to see the same type of rose that he had remarked upon last night was in a tall vase on the corner of his desk - what had she called it…ah, yes, Iceberg. He leant down and took a deep breath of its scent, for the first time able to place where he had recognised it from. It smelled just like Isabelle. He sat down with a smile, reaching over to take the first bundle of paperwork as he slid his glasses on. Isabelle walked into the room, tea tray carefully balanced in one hand, files in the other and looked up. Hank sat at his desk, half moon glasses balanced precariously on the end of his nose as he scowled down at the paper in his hand. She smiled softly, pausing halfway across the room to analyse the sudden warmth in the centre of her chest. Hank looked up at the sound of china cups and saucers rattling,

"Miss Caley, are you alright?" He rose, moving to take the tray from her, placing it on the table as she blushed brightly, stammering and stuttering, "sit down, what's wrong?" He asked, sitting opposite her, frowning in concern. Something inside of him prayed that it wasn't his appearance, that she hadn't grown suddenly afraid of him, that she hadn't suddenly taken her families objections to heart, oh please, please let her not be afraid, not her,

"I…nothing, sir" She'd heard, from various friends, that sometimes it hit you like a bolt of lightening. Never had she thought it would be so...literal. She gave him a bright smile, pushing a stray hair back into the perfect chignon, "I'm sorry"

"Don't be. Miss Caley, please" He stared into her eyes, lifting her chin with a finger, "enlighten me" She blushed brightly, lifting her chin away so she could stare down at her folded hands,

"I just realised something" She murmured, softly, reaching out to twist the hem of her skirt, "and I'm not sure if it's a good thing or not so I'll just hand in my resignation and-" He caught her hand gently as she rose to her feet,

"Miss Caley…Isabelle" He smiled, trying to look as un-frightening as he could, his heart bleeding as he thought that she really did hate him for his appearance, "I beg you, tell me"

"I realised…" She breathed, "I realised that…I think…" She cringed back, taking a step away as his eyebrows slowly rose,

"What?" He asked gently,

"I can't, it just doesn't happen like that, your well off and intelligent and handsome…and I…no, that sort of thing only happens in fairy tales" She said firmly, making a final gesture with her hand before looking up at him with sad eyes, "you'll have my notice on your desk in the morning, sir" She was almost at the door when she heard his voice, his breath ghosting the back of her neck,

"Isabelle" He murmured, turning her to face him. She stared resolutely at his tie,

"Please, I -" He silenced her with a finger, making her look up at him. He prayed that the swirl of emotions in her eyes was as he read it, prayed that he hadn't misjudged as he had on so many other occasions. Steeling himself for rejection, he leant down and kissed her softly, closing his eyes as she whimpered into his mouth as her arms wrapped hesitantly around his neck. He tried to resist the impulse to smile as a mad part of his mind did a victory dance and waved flags – he'd been right! - one hand pulling her to him, the other steadying the back of her neck. It had been so long, so very long since someone had wanted him…since he had wanted someone in return in fact. She wasn't skinny but she was a delicious armful of warmth and shyness pressed against him – then the door opened. The both of them went skittering into the centre of the room, caught off guard, breaking the kiss, as a head poked round the door,

"Sorry Mr McCoy" Peter smirked at Isabelle who blushed and fidgeted with her hair, "thought you'd like to know you're three o'clock is here, the secretary of mutant health in schools"

"Ah, yes of course" Hank hated himself for feeling so flustered but couldn't help the grin that spread across his face, "send him in. Er, thank you, Miss Caley" She didn't meet his eyes, blushing furiously at the carpet,

"Yes sir"

"And don't forget the dinner appointment" He called, hoping she'd understand. She turned, frowning a little,

"Sir?"

"Eight o'clock this evening" He said with a little incline of his head,

"Oh!" She blushed again, "um, yes...I won't forget" She nodded, smiling a little as she let the secretary for mutant health in schools past. Hank watched her leave, closing the door softly behind herself, before shaking Mr Davidson's hand,

"Ah Jonathan, It's about time you came to visit me you old rogue" He laughed, patting his old college friends shoulder,

"I'm only sorry it took this long, Hank" John replied with a smile that crinkled his eyes,

"What have you been up too?" They moved to his desk, John taking a seat in front of him as he scribbled a quick note,

"Ooh, just studying" The secretary stretched out, "and getting married having kids-"

"Kids? A wife? You?" They shared a laugh at an old joke, "honestly John, you're getting almost predictable. Tea?" He indicated the tray, pouring himself a cup,

"Got any coffee?" John pulled a face and Hank cackled happily inside, it was just what he had anticipated - John always had coffee. He pressed the intercom,

"Miss Caley? Could you come in here please?" He turned back to his friend, "kids? As in plural? How many have you spawned John?" He asked amiably, the other man laughed, rambling on as the door opened and Isabelle walked in, only the slightest blush on her cheeks,

"Three, Hank, can you believe it? Oh, hello, miss" John smiled, eyes roving up and down the secretaries curvy form. Hank suppressed a snarl, watching as she shied away from the other man surreptitiously,

"Miss Caley, would you mind taking this? And Mr Davidson would like a coffee please" He looked up at her, handing over the hastilyscribbled note. Both men watched as she walked out of the room, soft pink stiletto's silenced by the carpet,

"Mmm. You do pick 'em good, don't you Hank? That little girly you've got on reception…" John clicked his tongue in appreciation,

"Is this just a social call, John, or do you have some business for me too?" Hank asked, unable to keep the cold note out of his voice although his mind was thinking about the note in his secretary's hand, hoping she would agree to the resturant he had chosen, hoping she would like it if she went with him. John's face went stern, loosing some of its friendliness,

"Yes, Hank, the new bill from congress about mutant counselling, you do realise it's threatening my entire department?" Hank settled back to the argument and trying to find a logical solution, barely noticing when Isabelle walked in with Johns coffee and a note that she slid onto his desk,

"Thank you, Miss Caley" He smiled pleasantly. The smile she returned was wiped away as John Davidson patted her backside; she flushed brightly and whipped round to face him, delivering a sharp slap to his face before Hank could even open his mouth to speak,

"Excuse me, Mr McCoy, I've got papers to file" She said tightly, turning on her heel to march out of the room. John looked up at him with wide eyes, one hand on his rapidly reddening cheek, despite his anger Hank had to fight not to laugh,

"You're not going to let her get away with that, are you?" John asked, standing up. Hank removing his glasses and folded them before looking up,

"You overstepped the mark, John, legally she has the higher ground" He replied calmly, standing up, towering over the smaller man, "And if you ever so much as look at Miss Caley in the wrong way I shall take a huge…no an obscene amount of pleasure in making sure you loose every ounce of respectability that you have gained, I will drag your name through the mud, you will have nothing left when I am finished with you" He grinned in what would have been a friendly way if it hadn't been for the glint of bestial incisors, "is that quite clear, Jonathan?" He asked softly. The little man before him, the man he had once been good friends with, quivered for a moment before a sneer twisted his lips,

"And here was me thinking you hadn't changed, Henry, why don't you just rip me to shreds like you want too?" Hank was vaguely impressed by the show of bravado, "I know you want too, I can see it in your eyes…the same look you'd get when we were in college" John flinched back, almost tripping over the coffee table as Hank leant down, bringing his face level with Johns. He briefly remembered why he hadn't spoken to his 'friend' in such a long time,

"Because I believe in art and music and literature and reason, John, if you can't understand that than you've changed more than I thought possible too" He smiled again, straightening out. He let his hand squeeze the petty man's shoulder, guiding him over to the door at arms length, "now, why don't you make another appointment, John? I think Miss Caley has a day off on Wednesday why don't you come back then?" He smiled, guiding the man from the room,

"Well – but - yes I-"

"Good, good, nice to see you again Jonathan, we really must get together sometime I'd love to meet your wife" He shoved the man from the room – perhaps with a little more force than was strictly necessary - closing the door and for once not caring about being rude. He sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose and squeezing his eyes shut as he walked back to his desk. Stupid to let yourself get so worked up Hank…she handled the situation…she didn't need you to…The teapot had grown cold. He let his fingers slid across the smooth surface as he contemplated asking his secretary for some more, deciding against it as he spotted the mountain of paper work that he had to strive through. A note, white and innocent seeming on top of the pile, winked at him, he smiled – able to smell her perfume thanks to his mutation – and opened it gently,

"See you there… with love Isabelle" Love…Hank smiled, his temper at John's behaviour dissipating…with love.