'Are you telling me this as your analyst? In which case I'm guessing that I'm supposed to say yes Harry, or as the man who less than that twenty-four hours ago was in pain? Pain which didn't prevent him from making love to me, whilst at the same time telling me that I was all that mattered? Because if it's the second of these Harry and you want me to believe what you've been saying over these past few weeks is true, then please don't be offended if I ask you why?' Was quite some response, given that it was being delivered by a disbelieving Ruth who was fighting off the tears. Tears which by the time that they did come, had seen them reaching something of a standoff and in Harry's case blind panic. Well short of any verbal response to this outburst of emotion, he stepped forward, pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Far more passionately than he intended. Not premeditated by any means, but in desperation. The force of which knocked Ruth off balance. Resulting in them both tumbling towards the kitchen door, with every chance that they'd end up on the floor, whilst at the same time he waited for a slap across the face that didn't come. Encouraged by this lack of rejection and combined with an adrenaline fuelled need that he hadn't felt for as long as he could remember, he steadied himself and her, pulled her even closer and deepened the kiss. Not only to blank out the hurt that he was obviously causing her, but with the thought that maybe Ros and Malcolm were right. The former of which didn't linger for long, because rather than reject him, Ruth was starting to respond. More than that she was encouraging him. Which in a kitchen that wasn't theirs and with the curtains open, if Ros, Jo or god forbid Malcolm and Catherine walked in, their humiliation would only have been trumped, by the effect on its viewers. Something that Ruth must have realised, because the next time that they came up for air, she whispered upstairs.

That did it and by the time that they reached the upper landing, clothes were being discarded. Another first, in what had so far been a gentle and very controlled approach to the physical side of their relationship. Manoeuvring her in such a way that he could bend down and reach the door handle, he managed to kick the door open, back her in ahead of him and then tumble them onto the bed. All thought now gone, other than he wanted her as he'd never wanted anyone in his life, was being reciprocated as she tore at belt on his trousers, with the same certainty as the rain that had been forecast to fall before midnight. Her eyes wide and her pupils huge with want.

It was the shock that was causing her to behave like this. The sheer feeling of pain when Harry had said those words. Complete disbelief that he was prepared to risk his life again. Her first instinct had been to hit him. To scream at him that he was a bastard. All mixed together with the overriding knowledge that this was who he was, always had been and despite it, was one of the reasons that she loved him so much. A love that had somehow transformed itself into pure physical desire and by doing so, was changing her into someone that wanted him to strip him out of his clothes and hopefully he hers. Totally at odds with the rationale, that was telling her that he would be making the biggest mistake of his life if he tried to bargain with Lucas. And that by doing so, would destroy everything that they had to look forward to.

Not that it was making any difference, far from it. Because when he rolled her onto her back, this other Ruth who was now occupying her head, was succeeding in making her writhe about in a way that obviously told him that she couldn't last out much longer, whilst at the same time coming up with suggestions that her real self couldn't possibly be voicing. Her hands in his hair and at the same time responding to his growing arousal, she was whimpering in a way that no longer belonged to her. Her head swimming and with stars bursting behind her eyes, until the quickest and most glorious coming together that she had ever experienced, wiped her mind.

'So that's a yes is it?' He asked her, his chest heaving and his breath coming in uneven bursts as they collapsed in unison and he folded her into his arms. Totally spent and with whole dimension of their relationship having been changed by what had happened as they lay there and looked at each other. Trying but failing not to smile. Followed quite some time later, by a short explanation as to why he wanted to spare Lucas, but time enough for him to promise her that he'd tell her when and where the meeting was going to take place. Sleep overtaking them, until the alarm on his phone warned them that it wouldn't be long before the front door opened and Catherine and Malcolm would be back. Fresh panic combined with their need to have a shower and to get dressed quickly and that the question of them living together permanently was no longer in doubt. Not after this, at least in his mind.

.

'Catherine's gone to stay with her mother for a few days and no she won't say anything,' Harry assured Ros, who had arrived with Malcolm the next morning. Very surprised that Ruth wasn't putting up a fight, she just looked from one to the other of them for clues. Concerned at first that maybe Harry had sugar coated his plan and that Ruth wasn't fully aware of how reckless she personally thought it to be, despite Ruth telling them that she understood Harry's motives and that it was fine.

Not only did Ros hate the word fine, but she also understood Harry's motives. More than that, she wasn't quite as convinced as Ruth seemed to be, that Harry would come out of this in one piece. Or was aware of the repercussions that would surely follow if he let Lucas go. Despite Harry's assurance that he had enough information on politicians from all parties, past and present, to keep Towers on side.

That something had happened to change this burgeoning relationship since she'd last seen them together was fairly obvious. That they were in love, a word that she'd shunned in her own life, wasn't in doubt. Not enough for it to venture as far as the truth. But if it had, would have resulted in one of her less than guarded remarks. A coming together which had ended with a shared shower to save on time and of course water. Something that had been repeated this morning for the same reasons and why Harry was currently smelling like a Spring garden, had she got close enough to him to notice.

Malcolm, oblivious to the fact that the scarred for life comment of the previous evening had referred to him, he'd done as Harry had asked of him and a new identity for Lucas was in an envelope on the table. Closer to both Harry and Ruth emotionally, he was still deeply worried about the consequences for both of them should anything go wrong. But he'd said his piece and he was there as an observer for the moment. An observation that told him that there was a new sense of understanding and a calmness between them. That nine times out of ten, or ninety nine out of a hundred, Harry's decisions turned out to be sound ones and that he had to believe that it would be no different this time. His thoughts coinciding with Harry producing a list and handing it to Ros, backed up by an explanation. That and with a statement to remind them that he was their boss and to tell them that this was non-negotiable.

His only demand on the section, was that he wanted to use Dimitri as his driver and that he should come armed. Not only because Lucas had never met him, but because he'd already proved himself to be more than capable. Ros, despite protesting that this was her job, was told that he needed her to be on the grid. That he wanted her to give a performance, sufficient to convince everyone other than the core staff that it was business as usual.

That if Towers did call again, that she was to fob him off, by telling him that he'd been signed off by the company doctor for another few days. That he was resting, but that as soon as he got back, he'd be the first person that he'd contact. Complete bollocks of course, but that he had no doubts that Ros would be able to keep Towers at bay.

He made no mention of the conversations that he'd had the previous day with either Ros or Malcolm, which made them both believe, that somehow or other he'd managed to talk Ruth into believing that there wasn't a downside to his plan. Primarily, because other than ask them if they'd like a cup of coffee, Ruth was barely engaging any more.

.

A situation that changed as soon as the others had gone and Harry put in his call to Lucas. Short and to the point it gave nothing away, other than he wanted to meet him and asked Lucas to call him back. Something that at one stage during the hours that followed, Ruth who had wandered out into the garden, was comparing to the night that she'd waited at the rectory. As they continued to fill in the time without ending up in bed again, which would have been the easiest and preferred option to have blotted out what was to come. But then if they had, they both knew that the end result would have been the same, followed by sleep. Harry's resolve to go ahead not budging, with Ruth gradually back tracking. Not that she'd told him, until the clock rolled around as it was compelled to do, and they were cooking dinner together for the second time in as many days. By which time Ruth had become even quieter. The bravado and the trying to put on a brave face, going hand in hand with wanting to relieve the pressure that was building, she just managed to stop herself from saying that this felt like The Last Supper and instead took a deep breath.

'I have a question,' almost always meant that Ruth was worried or uncertain about something. That much Harry had learnt. Sufficient in this case for him to stop what he was doing and follow her into the sitting room. Their dinner already in the oven would take an hour, so there was no rush. Either that or she'd been building herself up for the right moment.

'How's this going to work Harry, you and I, when we finally go back to the grid? You're the boss Harry and you're proposing to introduce me as your senior analyst. Surely that smacks of favouritism at best from you, or me sleeping with the boss to get promoted?' Had him wondering why on earth she was mentioning this now, when it had absolutely no bearing on what he was about to do. Deviation away from what was really worrying her seemed the most likely, given what had happened the previous evening? Something that they'd managed to avoid talking about, despite it being at the forefront of both their minds all day.

'Apart from the fact that you're returning to a post that was always yours, you're brilliant at what you do and there isn't a better candidate. Work is work Ruth. Home is home. Besides which I've made a list.'

'I know about the list, but what's that got to do with us?'

'Not that list, another one,' he told her, grappling for ideas that amounted to a list that went beyond, I want you to live with me permanently and our private life is nobody else's business.' Something that he'd been saving up for bedtime. Whilst at the same time wondering why he hadn't just gone for let's cross that bridge when we come to it. Both coinciding with his phone ringing and all thoughts about their future leaving him, because it was Lucas.