Mallory dropped his pen and groaned loudly. He slowly began to work some feeling back into his writing hand and cast a weary eye to the time. He groaned even louder as he saw it was still early, he had only been in the office for a few hours but it already felt like it should be home time. That was the biggest change since the kidnapping, he felt exhausted and drained all the time. Many people including Eve and the medical staff said he should have taken more time off to recover, the problem was that M was needed and they still had a traitor to find. Q had to be in the building to be patched into the network and if Q was here then M would be at work too. Bond and Eve had called them both bloody stubborn idiots but had allowed the foolishness to continue under supervision, they had a mole to catch and none of them were safe until they did.

M stretched his cramped muscles and got to his feet, he couldn't face sitting down in the chair for longer than a couple of hours without a break. Another side effect of the ordeal. He paced around the room slowly as feeling returned to his legs. M grimaced and grunted when his sore ribs got jostled, he deliberately tried to keep his movements slight and slow to avoid too much pain but it was difficult. Mostly though he felt stiff. His ribs were still bandaged tightly as they slowly healed, he still had stitches covering most of his body and his wrists were very tender. He glanced down at the scars the zip ties had left, just another set for the collection.

At least his breathing had improved, for a long time he couldn't talk without causing agony to his lungs and chest. The rattling and wheezing decreased with time however and bar any extraneous activity they didn't bother him. He and Q were confined to desk duty, not that that was any different to their normal jobs anyway.

He finished his small break and wearily made his way back to the desk, stopping along the way as he noticed the pot of tea on the edge of the desk. He smiled as he remembered Eve bringing it in when he was drowning in conference calls, he honestly didn't know what he would have done without moneypenny. When Q, Bond and Eve had first proposed the suggestion of her guarding him he had all stared at them as if they'd gone mad, he was not someone who freely admitted to needing help or protection. He was pretty much bullied into the arrangement after it was made clear he would not be leaving medical without someone watching over him at night. He had really wanted to get home, from a security point of view as well as a comfort one. So he started resenting Moneypenny as soon as she moved her things in, scowling at the idea of having somebody else in his space.

Their first car ride home together had been tense. Eve had shocked him when they reached their destination though, he had assumed the women would have tried to baby him when he struggled with the steps. Moneypenny did nothing of the kind, she waited patiently as Mallory struggled up the stairs in pain. Eventually they dragged themselves across the threshold and M saw the knowing smile on his new roommate's face, she told him that a bodyguard was not the same as a babysitter and that she was there as neither. She was there as a friend and as a trained field agent. Mallory sat back silently as he looked at Eve in a new light, he had misjudged her completely. Moneypenny was not only smart but she knew people. She knew what they needed and most importantly what they didn't need. Gareth apologised for his mood and asked to start again, Eve had beamed happily and laughed. Mallory had never heard such a beautiful laugh.

And so it started, their routine. The pair would wake up in the morning, whoever was up first would make coffee and they would both sit quietly together and eat breakfast. Eve usually read her book first thing whilst Mallory read the paper, he caught himself once or twice staring at her over the top of the paper. Each morning he would grow more used to her being there and he had to admit he enjoyed sharing the day with someone, he liked not being alone. They rode to work together, got through the day somehow and returned to their little world in Mallory's apartment. To think M had argued against Eve shadowing him; now he couldn't imagine his normal life without her.

He sat down at his desk again and smiled fondly on the memories he had with Eve. Another unlikely but pleasant skill was that Moneypenny was an excellent cook. Mallory wanted to help the first week back but Eve wouldn't have any of it, she had actually threatened to sedate him just to keep him off his feet like the Doctors had ordered. It was a battle of wills but Eve had won. Eventually and very slowly he managed to worm his way back into the kitchen, soon they were both cooking together in tandem. He marvelled each night at the way they worked side by side in perfect harmony. It was peaceful and it helped take Mallory's mind off the flashbacks.

Gareth began to love each moment he spent with Eve, it distracted him from the danger he and MI6 were still in. It was nice to live like a normal person even if it were for just a small time. He had panicked the first time he woke from a nightmare, he made his way to the kitchen to shake off the effects. He had been startled at first when Eve followed him out, then he had felt embarrassed. Moneypenny didn't say a word though, she just flicked the kettle on and made them both a cup of tea silently.

The pair sat at the breakfast bar sipping on their drinks as the tension in Mallory's posture uncoiled and his breathing returned to normal, potential panic attack over. He could remember staring at her the first time he was interrupted, his shields and defences up as he waited for the bombardment of inevitable questions. It was going to be like those damn therapy sessions… But the questions never came. She would just sit and smile at him.

Gareth knew then and there that he was falling in love with his assistant, he had never known anyone who understood him like she did. Eve realised that Mallory didn't need questions, he needed company. Some nights M would phone Q, sometimes he and Eve would talk. Either way Moneypenny was adept at seeing what he needed each night and was just simply there, never complaining about the time, never mentioning the late nights the next day. She was completely selfless and it was winning M's heart.

Mallory didn't think he would be coping as well as he was without Eve, having her around made the nightmares easier to deal with. He didn't feel lonely like he feared he would. Also it was nice to think someone else had his back who was proficient with a gun, he felt safe with Eve. Q had Bond, M had Moneypenny.

Mallory picked up his pen again with a loud sigh and went back to his reports, he was getting more depressed as time wore on. He knew Q was getting close to finding the mole and whilst the thought should fill him with happiness it strangely didn't. Without the threat then there would be no need for Eve to stick around and he didn't want to lose her company, she had a life after all. Probably. He frowned as he realised he didn't know much about Moneypenny's personal life, maybe he should ask her tonight over dinner.

He was alert immediately as he heard Q's notification sound coming from his phone, the quartermaster had sent him a text. Q didn't text him at work which meant this was either a breakthrough or something equally important. M dropped his pen and swapped it for the phone, unlocking it and finding a message from Q.

Found mole. Meet me in basement labs. Bond already here. Q

Mallory got to his feet hurriedly as he re-read the message. The news was indeed urgent and was the breakthrough they all needed. M swept the disappointment about Eve aside and focussed on the job in hand; they had a traitor to catch. He opened his drawer and picked up his pistol, he didn't usually carry one around MI6 but this was a special situation. With his gun holstered firmly in place he made his way out of the office to Q.

He frowned as he noticed Eve's absence in the outer office, he would have liked to invite her along for this but she clearly had got caught up somewhere. At least they had Bond, M's concerns died as he remembered the text. Bond was already with Q and who better to protect the quartermaster than a 00 agent.

Mallory made his way promptly to the agreed meeting location, Q must have made the area safe from surveillance and it would definitely be quiet down there, it always was. M's mind raced as he the enormity of the situation became apparent, they were about to plan to apprehend the mole. Hopefully they could finally get some answers from the traitor like who their mysterious employer was and what their endgame was.

M grimaced when he jarred his ribs having to sidestep someone coming out of an office, he hadn't been paying attention to where he was going. Mallory nodded politely to anyone he passed and smiled when a few employees did a double take when he passed, he hadn't made a trip through Q branch or the laboratories since before he was kidnapped. The amount of foot traffic depleted to nothing as he neared the laboratory Q had specified, that was good. The last thing they needed was anyone thinking anything was wrong before the traitor was safely arrested.

Gareth eventually made it to his destination and opened the door gently, hand hovering near his shoulder holster and ready for anything. He winced as the door squeaked slightly but continued pressing it open slowly. He stepped silently into the bright lab scanning the area with a critical eye. He couldn't see Q. Mallory's instincts weren't telling him anything was wrong with the situation, he let the door shut silently behind him and took a few more steps into the lab his eyes scanning over the equipment and computers keenly.

He gripped the handle of his weapon as he made the decision to call out. "Q?"

M had to stop himself from drawing the pistol as a head suddenly popped out from behind a computer terminal towards the back of the room, he recognised the face instantly and let out a breath of relief. Mallory relaxed his stance and took his hand away from the weapon, all appeared as it should. Except…

Where was Bond?

Mallory's gaze carried out another scan of the room and after finding no other presence decided that the 00 agent was definitely not in the room, had he already gone off after the traitor? Q had abandoned his post at the computer, and was walking towards M quite pointedly looking over his shoulder as if he were expecting someone to enter behind M.

"Where's 007?" M broke through the tension as Q continued his search over Mallory's shoulder.

Gareth felt a sense of unease begin to grow after seeing the quartermaster's reaction, his features were scrunched up with confusion. "Didn't you bring him with you?"

Now Mallory was confused, had he read the message wrong? "Your message said he was already here."

Q tensed immediately and his expression turned very serious, his eyes flashed with fear. "I didn't send you a message."

Shit.

M's stomach plummeted as his brain caught up, this was a trap. He heard the door behind him opening before he had begun to turn. His hand desperately snatched for the still-holstered pistol knowing deep down that it was futile, they'd both been duped spectacularly. M had just about turned around and had his hand on the handle of his gun when the attack came.

A sharp piercing pain slammed into his stomach and for a heartbeat he thought he'd been shot, that was until he lost all control of his body as the spasms took over. Burning electricity raced from nerve to nerve throughout his whole body, he felt himself lose the battle with gravity and tumble towards the ground as a deadly crackle echoed through the room. He bit his tongue harshly and tasted blood as he crumpled into a heap, body twitching and convulsing when the licks of the flames danced across his body. As soon as it started it was over and it was then when he felt the pain.

Mallory realised he had been yelling and he had definitely cried out as his still healing body collided hard with the unforgiving ground, he panted with his eyes closed as he fought to keep the agony under control. His muscles felt like they were on fire and the experience was bringing back unpleasant memories from the past. He trembled with the aftershocks and fought off the demons when the loud retort of a gunshot ripped him from the fog around his mind.

M blearily opened his eyes and he felt adrenaline flood his system after the familiar sounds of danger, it was then he remembered he hadn't been alone in the lab. Q was in danger. He was alarmed as he heard a cry of pain and the sound of a body drop to the floor, without really thinking and purely acting on instinct his hand darted for his weapon again.

His eyes found the traitor and noted the smoking gun in his hand pointing at exactly where Q had been standing; this time he managed to get the weapon clear of the holster before the taser stopped his movements brutally again. His muscles spasmed and he distantly felt the pistol tumble from his useless fingers, their last line of defence gone.

M rode out the electric shock begging for it to be over, every spasm sent of jolt of agony to his ribs and made his heart ache painfully. Mercifully the torture ended and he felt pure relief as he was allowed to breathe in precious oxygen in short breaths. He groaned as his attempts to shift only ended in misery, he couldn't get control of his twitching muscles to do anything useful. Mallory forced his eyes open when he heard Q gasps and swearing.

His eyes sought the quartermaster and widened in shock as he saw his friend sprawled out on the ground with a pool of blood growing steadily around him, the bastard had actually shot Q. M's fingers fingered the empty holster and groaned as he realised he had dropped the weapon under the last attack. His eyes desperately searched the surrounding area for the dropped pistol, he found what he was looking for in the hands of the traitor.

Mallory shuddered as he realised the hopelessness of the situation, they had been well and truly played. He sought the man's face and felt his mouth go dry when he saw who was pointing a gun down at him, a gun and a taser. They had made a small list of possible moles and potentially untrustworthy people, this man hadn't made it onto the list. It didn't make sense, how could R do something like this? The traitor standing over M brandishing a deadly weapon without a hint of remorse in his eyes was Q's second in command. He was supposed to be Q's friend and he had shot him.

M gaped up at R in disbelief and felt unimaginable rage for the man who Q had called a friend, thinking of Q was like being slapped out of the trance.

"Q." His voice sounded raspy and panicked.

The quartermaster responded with a grunt of pain and turned his head so he could see M, Mallory felt a tiny bit of relief when he saw Q's brilliant eyes. They were full of misery and torment but they were aware. He saw then that the quartermaster had been shot in his right shoulder, Q was gripping his shoulder strongly his fingers and hand already covered in blood that had soaked through his clothes. M couldn't see from this angle if the bleeding was slowing or if the bullet had torn through an artery, shoulders could be a messy business.

They were both wrenched from each other's gaze as they heard the lock on the door being manipulated. R had walked away without either of them noticing, after the traitor appeared happy with the security and was content nobody was in the vicinity he headed back towards the two men hurting on the floor. Mallory forced his body to remain still as a gun was levelled at both his and Q's heads, R could kill them both right now and nobody could stop him. He glanced down at his chest as a sharp pain made itself aware, he soon spied the ends of the taser. The spikes had embedded themselves into his chest and they pulled at his skin when he breathed, it was clearly how R had delivered the second electrocution so quickly to stop M drawing his weapon.

"You?!" Q spat with an unprecedented level of malice.

M closed his eyes in a silent prayer, Q really was not good at choosing when and when not to speak. Here they were at the mercy of a man with presumably nothing left to lose and Q was inviting a heated argument. He watched warily as R turned his full attention to the bleeding quartermaster and started to stalk towards his injured prey.

"Yes, me." R sneered nastily, christ this was clearly personal for him. "Did you think your friendship meant anything to me?"

Mallory could see that the harsh comment had left its mark on Q when the young man flinched minutely, soon rage replaced the expression and he did something ridiculously stupid. "I hardly thought you capable, there is a reason you didn't become head of Q branch."

R tensed his muscles as the taunt found it's mark; the traitor took the last few steps towards Q and viciously kicked Q's right shoulder right on top of the gunshot wound. Q screamed in agony as the blow hit which surged M to try and get up to help.

R clearly heard the movement and quickly aimed a pistol directly at Mallory's head, halting his elevation in its tracks. M tensed as R remained too close to Q, close enough to do the quartermaster harm.

"I was better than you." R hissed vengefully down at the writhing Q.

Mallory realised he had to think of something quickly to get the bastard's attention off of Q, and the only bright idea that sprung into his mind was to copy Q.

"You were never in the running to take over Q branch." He knew he had got R's attention as he saw the man's posture stiffen. "You didn't even make it on to the short list."

R turned dangerously slowly and directed his fury onto Mallory, great now he had the attention now he had to just get him away from Q. M pushed harder without really thinking his plan through.

"You have no integrity, only average intelligence and you're a coward." M made it all up on the spot as he watched R stomp closer to him, pistol raised dangerously. If he could get the man to trip up and get too close then he could try and disarm him.

"You're a disgrace to the service and nothing more than a spineless traitor." Mallory tensed his body in preparation as R got almost within striking distance. Just as was about to strike out with his leg his muscles lost control.

The bloody taser, how had he forgotten about the taser? He lost track of R completely as his body twitched against the currents, his breath caught in his throat and he forgot how to breathe. He had thought he was going to make R make a mistake but he had only brought pain and suffering down upon his already abused body. His only saving grace was that this was happening to him and not Q.

Mallory thought it would never stop, he was so close to slipping away and actually passing out from the agony when his body finally ceased convulsing, the fire stopped spreading. He didn't even have a chance to open his eyes before a heavy blow smashed into his head and his world turned dark.