Sorry for the unexpected break. I became both busy and uninspired to write this. As I've had a break from writing, I'm going to move on just a little in time and move on to around episode 4-7 to try and get back into this.
When Harry came home from a late JIC meeting, the sight that met him made him smile. Ruth was curled up on the sofa, the TV on quietly in the background, a glass of wine hanging precariously from her fingertips. He adored coming home to her and the smile was still on his face as he took the glass of wine from her and put it safely on the coffee table.
"Mm?"
"It's okay," he said quietly.
"You're home," she said. He leaned over hr and kissed her gently in hello.
"I am." She shifted her legs and he sat on the end of the sofa, taking her feet in his hands.
"How was the meeting?" she asked, sighing as he started rubbing her feet. "Oh that's nice."
"The meeting was fine," he said, not really wanting to talk about it. "Move in with me."
"What?" she asked, opening her eyes. Even in the dim light from the television, he could see the shock on her face.
"Move in with me," he repeated calmly. He didn't take his touch off of her feet, but watched every expression on her face. "I love you. I don't like coming home when you're not here. I want to be with you as much as possible." She said nothing and as the seconds turned into minutes, Harry started to wonder if he'd horribly misjudged the situation. "If you don't want to…"
"I do, but…" She pulled her feet off of him and sat up to turn the light on. "Harry, I'm half asleep. It's probably not the best time for me to be making life decisions like this."
"Ruth…"
"I love you," she said. "I do. But I need to think about this. It's who I am, I have to."
"I understand," he said. He did. "You've been hurt before. Haven't you?"
"Yes. In my personal life… I don't trust easily. And I have to think things through."
"I know that," he said. "Lets go to bed."
"Are you sure?"
"I can think of nothing better after six hours of talking about terrorists than curling up with you in bed." He smiled gently at her, his hazel eyes very soft as she put her palm to his cheek. She leaned closer to him and kissed him, a light kiss which turned quickly passionate. "Bed?" she repeated. He nodded.
In the morning, Ruth was making tea when she heard Harry talking on the phone. She couldn't catch the words, but knew the tone well. It was the one he used at work when he was frustrated. Or talking to an ignorant politician.
"What is it?" she asked, adding a sugar to his tea without asking as he came into the kitchen.
"Graham's checked himself out of rehab," he said darkly. Ruth knew he'd been calling almost daily to check up on his son, but this was the first time Harry had mentioned anything out of the ordinary.
"Ah."
"And I have no idea where he could be either. I've got no number or address. God, if he goes back to…" Ruth put her hand on his arm.
"He'll be okay," she said, though without much conviction. "He knows where you are."
"Yes, and that's done a fat lot of good in the past." He pinched his nose hard. "There's nothing to do."
"He might go to his mother. You could call her…"
"No," Harry said firmly. "We only ever argue even when we start the conversation with the best of intentions."
"Put it aside for your son," she advised. "If she knows where he is, it will stop you worrying." He looked at his watch to see if it were too early to call and then nodded.
"Unfortunately, you're right," he said. "Like usual." He kissed her and picked up his phone with a very heavy sigh. The doorbell rang and Ruth went to answer it without thinking about it. She shouldn't have been too surprised when she opened the door to reveal Graham standing there.
"Oh," she said, rather stupidly. She knew it was Graham at once. His face was very similar to his fathers and as his eyes took her in, going over her figure very quickly she was quietly shocked by the familiarity of the gesture.
"Sorry," he said politely. "I think I've got the wrong house."
"You haven't," she said calmly. "Come in, your father's in the kitchen." He paused at the doorway, looking at her again. "Harry," she called into the house. He emerged and instantly put the phone down when he saw his son.
"Graham."
"Dad," he said after a pause. Graham picked up a full black bin liner Ruth hadn't noticed and came in. "I didn't know where to go," he said. "I can't go back to where I was living. I'll get hooked again. I don't want that." He shrugged and looked down. "All I own in the world," he said, kicking the bag gently. He looked back at his father. "Can I stay here?"
"Yes, of course," he said after only the slightest hesitation. "How are you?"
"Better than I was," he said. "And not bed bound any more, so that's something." His eyes went to Ruth who'd said nothing, not knowing exactly what to say. "You must be Ruth," Graham said. "Cat told me about you."
"Good?" she said, it seeming like more of a question than she intended. Harry took a breath to speak when his phone rang.
"That'll be your mother," Harry said heavily. "I have to answer..." Ruth nodded as Harry went into the kitchen, leaving Ruth and Graham together.
"Lets sit down," she suggested, going into the lounge. Graham followed, still looking at Ruth quite critically.
"You're younger than I thought you'd be," he said.
"Somewhere along the line that's stopped being a compliment and started becoming a little insulting."
"No, I just meant…" he didn't finish his sentence, just shrugging.
"I love him," she said simply, looking at her hands. It wasn't easy for her to talk about her emotions at the best of times. "Even when he's not an easy man to be with. Especially then, actually." Graham almost snorted in agreement. "Graham, he has a hard shell. He absolutely has to, doing what he does. But, the man underneath is surprising. If you stop to take a look. And if he lets you see."
"I know you mean well, but nothing will have changed."
"Of course it has," Ruth said. "Things change all the time. And I know full well that Harry has made mistakes with his children. But I also know he regrets them. Give him a chance."
Graham looked skeptical, so Ruth continued. "If you don't believe that, then why are you here?"
"Point taken," he said after a moment. Harry came into the lounge and looked at them both.
"Ruth..."
"Yes, I know," she said, getting up to go to work. "I'll tell Adam you'll be late."
"I just need someone keeping an eye on Fiona and the Syrians," Harry said. "And I don't think Adam's the most clear headed to deal with that. I'll be in soon."
"Bye," she said, kissing his cheek briefly. "Bye Graham," she added. He nodded as Ruth left the house, leaving both men feeling highly uncomfortable left together.