Thanks for the reviews, and this chapter jumps right back in to where I left off.
"Catherine, I know you're upset and stressed, but don't take it out on Ruth."
"Nothing's changed, has it?" Catherine said with venom. "When your family needed you and you were off screwing different whores every night."
"Right, we can have this argument in the car," he said, knowing he wasn't getting anywhere. "Give me two or three minutes to put some clothes on."
"Fine," Catherine said angrily, knowing that she was far too emotional to drive and public transport would take hours. Harry hurried to get changed and within five minutes they were in the car towards the hospital. They were too early for the rush hour, something for which Harry was grateful.
"Catherine, I know you're incredibly worried," he said, holding onto his temper. "But if you call Ruth a whore again, I'm going to lose my temper. You have no reason to think she's anything else, I'm sure from past experiences. But Ruth is different."
"God, dad, do you think I'm worrying about your latest conquest right now?!" Harry let it go. He knew Catherine was worried, God, he was worried! His son could be dying. Arguing about Ruth wasn't important right now. Silence fell in the car, until about five minutes later when Catherine shouted. "Dad!"
He slammed the brakes on, having failed to notice the car pull out in front of him. His mind had been on his son in hospital and as he continued to drive both he and Catherine noticed his hands were shaking on the steering wheel.
"Have you told your mother?" Harry asked quietly as they pulled into the hospital car park.
"Yes, but she's in Australia. Holiday. She's trying to get a flight back and I… I needed someone."
"I'm glad you told me," Harry said honestly. "I'd have hated to have not known."
"Okay," Catherine said as Harry stopped the car. "Dad… what if…"
"It'll be okay," he said. He leaned across and hugged her tightly. It had been too long since he'd held his daughter like this. "Come on," he said eventually. She nodded and they both hurried into the hospital.
"Graham Pearce?" he asked the receptionist. She nodded and tapped away on her computer. When she'd got the information, her face turned serious.
"Are you family?" she asked and Harry could feel dread filling him.
"Yes," Catherine said. "I'm his sister, and this is our father. Would you please just tell us?"
"He's in the ICU, on the third floor," she said. "He's unconscious."
"But alive?" Harry asked, his mouth very dry.
"Yes."
"Thank you," Catherine said as they went to the lift. Neither of them spoke. Harry knew his heart was racing but he couldn't think of a single thing to say. He had no reassurance to offer his daughter. Oh God. The journey up to the third floor seemed to take an age. As if time was slowing down for them. He couldn't find words but he did reach for Catherine and squeeze her hand tightly. She squeezed back as the lift doors opened and they were confronted with another reception desk. "Graham Pearce?" Harry asked again. Before she could reply, a doctor, maybe in his middle forties overheard them.
"I'm Mr Pearce's doctor," he said.
"How is he?" Catherine asked.
"Well, he'll live," the doctor said, but his tone was dark. "He's currently unconscious and we're flushing the drugs from his system. But he should make a recovery." Both Catherine and Harry let go of the breath they'd been holding in unison.
"However," the doctor continued. "If he stays on the drugs, if he doesn't get clean, he'll be in this position again. And it'll get worse and worse until he kills himself."
"Okay," Harry said, not needing the lecture right now. "Can we see him?" the doctor nodded and they followed him down the corridor. It was only a short walk but Harry paused outside the closed door. He hadn't laid eyes on his son in five years, and now he would and he would be unconscious. What a completely useless father he was.
"Dad?" Catherine said. "Come on." He shook himself out of his reverie and opened the door. Catherine rushed in and instantly sat at her brothers side, holding his hand. Harry stayed by the door, watching the small figure of his son. He looked so thin. Emaciated even. Clearly his food of choice lately had been heroin. The beep of the machines was reassuring but as he looked at his son, he felt so helpless. He could have helped his son in the past, but he'd chosen to ignore the situation. How bloody useless.
Graham's face was covered with a mask, but Harry could see that in the last few years, Graham had changed. He now looked almost exactly like Harry himself had looked at that age. There was no doubting that Harry was his father, the similarities were striking.
"Dad?" Catherine said, looking at him still hovering by the door.
"I could have helped him," Harry said hollowly. "I could have done… so much more."
"No, I don't think you could have," Catherine said quietly. "I'm not letting you off the hook entirely, you could pick up the phone every now and then but… he wouldn't accept help. Believe me, I tried often enough. He didn't want to hear it. And he always was stubborn when it came to you," Catherine added. "I doubt any help you could have offered would have been well received."
"I'm a shit father," he said, finally sitting down next to Catherine, closer to his sons face. Catherine looked at him.
"Yes," she agreed simply. He was so surprised that he couldn't stop a completely inappropriate burst of laughter from emerging.
"Sorry," he said.
"But you're the only one we've got," she continued. "Just… when he gets out of here… just try."
"I will," he said.
Catherine sighed and looked away from her brother. "I hate seeing him like this. Tell me something to distract me. Talk about anything else. Who's Ruth?" she added. Now that she'd seen her brother was alive, she was somewhat calmer, and privately regretting her outburst at her father's house.
"You don't want to hear about her," he said.
"I do," she said. "I'm… sorry for what I said. I was…"
"I know," Harry said shortly. He took a deep breath, weighing his words carefully. He was never very good discussing his feelings at the best of times. "She's amazing," he said quietly. "We… work together. It's not a brief or casual thing," he added, guessing what she'd suspect. "It's… I can't really describe it."
"I only caught sight of her as she left, but she's quite a bit younger than you, isn't she?"
"Mm," Harry said. The age gap had never worried him. He had been more concerned about how their relationship would work when he was her boss. "Yes, she is, but it doesn't matter." Catherine raised her eyebrows ut said nothing. "Actually, I should call her." At that, Catherine's face shut down, going very grim.
"Of course. We've had ten minutes of your time, I couldn't expect much more."
"I have to call her because she was shot yesterday," Harry said calmly. "She shouldn't have been on public transport, it's dangerous."
"Why would someone want to shoot her?"
"They didn't," he said. "They wanted to shoot the person she was protecting. I need to call her, but I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right back." Catherine nodded, letting Harry leave the room with no further argument. He called Ruth and she answered after only two rings.
"Harry?"
"Are you all right?" he asked. "Got to work okay?"
"I'm fine," she said. "You shouldn't be worrying about me. How is he?"
"He'll live," Harry said shortly. "Unconscious but he'll live. I don't know Ruth, he's clearly not great if he's addicted to heroin, is he? I don't know what to do."
"I'm sorry for leaving like that this morning," Ruth said. "I just thought… one less thing for you to deal with. I could see my presence would make things complicated."
"I understand," he said. He did. "Ruth, tonight can you…"
"I'll be at your house tonight if you want me," she said. "If you need me."
"I do," he said, swallowing against the solid lump in his throat. "Yes, thank you."
"I hate to add another thing…"
"But?" Harry asked.
"You were planning on meeting Juliet on the embankment at one o'clock. Confront her with the book to stop the assassins going after Hicks."
"Oh shit," Harry said. He had planned that, and the less gunmen going after members of his team, the better.
"I can get Adam to go instead," Ruth said. "I know you need to be at the hospital."
"No," Harry said. "As much as I hate it, Juliet wont listen to him. It has to be me. And I don't want to rearrange it because it gives another night that they can try and shoot Hicks. And he might be irritating, but he doesn't deserve to be shot for it. I'll be there."
"I'm sorry, Harry," she said. "That it should come up today when you're…"
"I know," he said. "I'll deal with it. Ruth?"
"Yes?"
"I love you," he said urgently.
"I know that," she said. "Love you, too. I'm sorry."
"Bye." He disconnected the call and went back into the room with both of his children.
I am still trying to keep this tied with canon, with the result that this will probably be a rather long story! Thanks for reading so far.