CAUTION: there is adult material contained in this chapter. I was careful not to step too far over the T-rated boundary but younger readers should still be warned.
Scott sucked on his cigarette and waited for the call to answer. He wandered out along the side of Ruth's long pool and sighed out a long plume of smoke.
"Hello?"
"Pen? It's Scott."
"Hello, Scott. How are you?"
Scott smiled thinly, "Not sure."
"Oh?"
"Are we scrambled?"
"Looks fine from here." Penny confirmed.
"Good. There are some files stored in my phone that I need you to download." Scott began, "I need a copy but can't risk having them on me."
"Oh."
"Yeah," Scott laughed, "You could say that."
"Okay. Extracting now."
Scott closed his eyes and could imagine Penny opening the images and having a similar stunned look on her face as he must have done a few minutes ago.
"Scott …" Penny began quietly, "These are - "
"I know."
"Where did you get them?"
Scott sighed, "It's a long story. Listen, I need you to keep them for me but don't tell Dad. Not yet."
Penny was quiet.
"I need to see what's going on before I tell him someone seems to have stolen his and Brains' designs." Scott groaned at the thought, "After everything else that's happened."
"Fine." Penny agreed. "What are you going to do?"
"See if I can speak to some old friends at the base and get some more information."
"Alright. Just be bloody careful, Scott."
"I will. Thanks. Oh, and Pen - ?"
"No news." Penny offered quietly. "Which can only be a good thing."
"If you say so."
"I do."
"Okay." Scott signed off and deleted the files from his phone, his mind racing. He then wandered back inside and headed through to the kitchen.
"Everything okay?" Ruth asked warily.
Scott smiled and sighed in relief. "Yup."
"I called the school. They said they've not seen anything unusual. And Charlie is out at the zoo with the au pair." She managed a small smile and then blinked back tears. "You really think they would have - ?"
"Hey!" Scott hurried over to her and hugged her briefly. "I just wanted to be sure. Just in case."
Ruth sniffed and wiped her face. "I never thought … I mean … oh god, what have I done?"
Scott pulled her close to him again and shook his head. "It's okay … you needed to know …"
"Yeah. But now I wish I didn't."
"Oh, honey, I know. But it's done now." He stepped away from her to cross over to the sink and looked down at the files. "If we get rid of these, you'll be fine. As far as anyone will know, you took their warning and have backed off." He turned back to her and his smile faded, "Which you must promise me you will do."
Ruth nodded emphatically.
"Good." Scott took out his lighter and reached into the sink
The files went up quickly, the flames eating through the classified information and sending black smoke high into the kitchen. Ruth switched off the smoke alarm and watched Scott monitoring the small blaze in the sink, ready to turn on the taps if necessary.
After a few minutes there was nothing but crumbling ash and Scott fed it into the garbage disposal. He turned to Ruth and smiled thinly. "There."
Ruth nodded in agreement, tears building and her face crumbling. She covered her face and fell against one of the kitchen cabinets, unable to hold back the sobs that shook her body.
Scott was back with her in a heartbeat and held her close, pressing his lips into the top of her head. "Shh … it's okay …"
"No, it's not!" Ruth shouted suddenly, "It's not fucking okay!" She shoved him back from her and choked on her tears. "They killed Jake!"
"I know, I know." Scott husked, reaching out for her again.
"You don't know!" Ruth argued, shaking her head and pushing him away. "The thought of him is just - " She gasped and clutched at her chest. "Burning and bleeding and falling and then - "
"I know."
"You can't! You haven't lost your brother like this."
Scott's heart sank and he could feel his own tears building. "Not like this, no."
And Ruth calmed a little. She searched Scott's anguished face and shook her head slowly. "Oh god, no …"
"It's okay …" Scott ventured closer to her again and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'm here …"
Ruth fell into his embrace and clutched him tightly, her sobbing growing louder. And suddenly she was thumping his chest and screaming at him.
Scott took the blows and held her close, tears pouring down his face. "It's okay … let it go … it's okay …"
Ruth lifted her head and gazed into a face full of a pain that matched her own. She groaned and reached up to grab at his head, pulling his mouth down towards hers.
Scott closed his eyes and returned the kiss, feeling her lips trembling as she continued to cry. He moved his hands down to her waist and pulled her close to him. And suddenly she was pushing him backwards. He met the solid oak of the kitchen table with a thud and his head was spinning as she clawed at his clothes and begged him to take away all of her pain, her pitiful sobs becoming firmer and more urgent.
In a swift single move, Scott lifted Ruth and spun round, sitting her on the edge of the table and pulling at her jeans. His hands met hers as she helped him undo her trousers and then began to fumble with the belt of his.
"Ruth - ?" Scott paused for the briefest of moments.
"Please, Scott." Ruth shook her head, suddenly coherent and determined. She grabbed at his waist, sliding her hands in his jeans and shoving the material aside. "Please."
Scott eased her back and lifted her legs apart, stepping in close to the table and grunting a sigh as he entered her. Ruth cried out and clutched at his shoulders as he rocked within her and it didn't take long before their combined grief and need culminated in loud, angry release.
Scott fell onto Ruth and cried softly into her chest, moaning gently as she combed her fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry." He managed hoarsely.
"Don't be," Ruth whispered, closing her eyes and tears tricking down the sides of her face.
It was a while before they dared move. Afraid that separating themselves from one another would let the pain of the world back in. When Scott then did lift his head, he met Ruth's uncertain frown and his heart sank as he stepped back from her.
Ruth climbed down from the table and pulled her jeans back on, avoiding eye contact with Scott as he also retrieved his clothes. She pulled the table back straight and righted the overturned centrepiece.
"Charlie and Una will be back soon." Ruth offered quietly and wandered towards the kitchen door. "I'm gonna go take a shower before he gets home." She paused at the door. "There's a bathroom along the hallway if you need it."
"Ruth - "
"I …" Ruth sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry."
Scott's heart thudded against his chest. He watched her leave and sank against the kitchen sideboard, lost and confused.
He stayed there for a while, brushing away tears and trying to fathom what the hell had just happened. And then he shook his head and clenched his fists, determined that Ruth was too good a friend to risk losing and knowing he had to talk to her before the chance was gone.
He followed the noise of the shower running and wandered cautiously into the large master bedroom. Her clothes were scattered on the carpet and he peered through the partially open door to the en suite to see her standing inside the glass cubicle. He paused there for a moment, unsure what to do. Feeling awkward to be standing there watching her through the frosted glass but equally keen to admire her figure, he waited patiently.
Ruth was suddenly crying again. Obviously hoping that the shower would mask her gentle weeping, she double over slightly and let her head fall into her hands.
Scott listened for a moment and thought he heard something different about this new wave of tears. He took a deep breath and made his mind up, deciding that things could not get any worse. Stepping into the bathroom and closing the door behind him loud enough to make his presence known, Scott watched Ruth turn and slide open the cubicle door.
Ruth paused at the door, water spilling over her shoulders and out onto the carpet. She watched Scott with equal uncertainty for a moment and then nodded.
Scott undressed and stepped into the shower beside her, waiting politely a short distance from her.
Ruth moved out of the torrent of water and reached up to place her hand on his cheek. She studied his face and then slowly smiled, going up on her toes to kiss his mouth. "God, Scott … I need this more than you know." She whispered over the noise of the water.
Scott nodded in agreement.
"But it can never be anything more."
Scott bit back a groan of disappointment and managed a small smile. He stepped closer to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, letting his eyes move from her flushed face and down her wet figure.
"The years have been kind." Ruth offered derisively.
Scott looked back up at her face and shook his head slowly. He lifted his hand and pressed his finger over her lips. With a smile he then lowered his head and began to kiss her face, lingering over her skin. He then slowly explored the rest of her, savouring each moment and taking his time to caress every inch of her.
The gradual build up progressed into gentle, slow lovemaking, both of them aware that if this was the only time they had together then they had to make the moment last.
Tbc …
