When did I become Tom Quinn

Not mine belongs to Kudos/BBC et al

Harry took a hot steamy shower, trying to wash all the pleasant memories of the past 24 hours from his memory. It didn't work. When he stepped out of the bathroom, with only a towel wrapped around his waist, he was shocked to find Ruth still in his bed, knees pulled back against her chest and arms wrapped around them.

"I know I told you to leave!" Harry, still being autocratic, believes it is enough to make Ruth run.

It's not.

"We need to talk."

"I think we've done enough of that for a lifetime. Two lifetimes and all the lifetimes of those cut short in our line of work."

Ruth could tell Harry's ego was bruised. He was hurting. That much she was sure.

"I'm not going anywhere," said Ruth.

"I can pick you up, and set you out in the street," warned Harry.

Ruth knew he could do it, but would he? "Then go ahead and kill whatever chance there is for us to be an us."

Harry started to move toward her thinking it would be enough to make her scamper from his bed. It wasn't. Then Harry proceeded to dress for bed. "I'm going to sleep. You can stay here or not, but don't come back when you do leave." With that he crawled into his bed, turned away from Ruth and cut out the light. Ruth just sat there. She didn't say anything. She didn't move for at least an hour. Finally she got out of the bed and went to take her own shower. She planned to dress and leave.

Harry had thought Ruth by now would be trying to talk to him, trying to get him to talk, but she did nothing but go and take a shower. He watched as she exited the bathroom, pretending he was sleeping. Ruth knew he wasn't. Then she started dressing, not for bed but to leave. Harry's breathing deepened. He thought, isn't she going to try and fight for us. Isn't she going to do something?

Ruth's temper too had reached critical mass and now she knew if she speaks there will be no going back. In fact, she knew there will be no going back anyway. As she starts to leave she turns and makes one statement to Harry, "If I make it out your front door, I won't see you again. I won't return to MI5. I won't return to your place, nor allow you in mine. I will leave. I will disappear as I did once before and you will never see me nor I you. I know you have tolerated much from me. I have equally tolerated much from you. Now you act the injured party because I save your sorry arse. I have had it with you and your diva attitude. Then maybe that's what you want. You've finally had your dream fulfilled, and you can move on. So be it. Goodbye Harry."

Her words shock Harry. Surely she doesn't mean what she says. Where will she go? What will she do? Just as quickly he knew she has survived on her own before and can do so again and this time with more knowledge to avoid being tracked by any would-be kidnapper. She can cover her trail. She's learned she can kill when she has to if her life depends on it or the life of someone else.

Ruth is only halfway out the bedroom door when Harry darts from the bed and grabs her, tosses her garment bag to the floor and carries her back to the bed.

"Put me down," demands Ruth.'

He does, on his bed.

"Harry," Ruth says his name as a warning.

"You're right." That's all Harry says then he pushes her back onto the bed and kisses her. She struggles against him.

"No!" She yells. Ruth isn't going to give in to passion before everything is resolved.

Harry's still kissing her, "you are so sexy when you are angry."

"This isn't about sex Harry. Did you listen to me?"

"I may have stopped somewhere after you declared I would never see you again. My greatest fear. I panicked. The rest I don't know." Harry responded and stopped kissing her, but he didn't turn loose of Ruth either. "I'll chain you here if I must."

"That's just it Harry. You storm off like the injured person tossing all the blame at me and then demand I leave. That's too childish for you. That's too childish for Dimitri."

"I wondered how long before you mentioned him. Don't think I haven't noticed his flirting with you in the office."

"So, you have always encouraged inter-office romance," said Ruth.

"Not between anyone with you," said Harry, his eyes full of passion. "You are mine." He declares it in a voice that allows for no question, but Ruth does question it. She is the only one who can

"Harry do you realize how 12th century you sound?"

"I thought that was one of your favorites," he replies, beginning to kiss her neck, her ear, her mouth. His response did draw a smile from Ruth's lips. Still, she needs to talk with Harry and again stops him.

"Get off me. We are going to discuss what is going on and then act like adults," states Ruth with emphasis.

Harry can see he isn't going to distract Ruth with passion, so he relents and they sit on the edge of the bed. They hold hands.

"Harry, I love you, but if you ever give me an ultimatum again, it will be the last you give me. If we share a home it will be ours. No one will throw the other out. One may choose to leave." Harry glances up when she says they can choose to leave. He doesn't want her to leave and he doesn't want to leave.

Ruth continued, "We may even revisit the idea of marriage." Again Harry looks hopeful. Then she adds, "It's clear you aren't ready for that yet and again as long as I am legally free, no one can control me or keep me where I don't desire to be."

"Are you finished Ruth?"

"Yes."

"Then I agree to everything. Draw it up in a legal document if you like. I'll sign anything. I'll give you anything. I want you to be with me and part of me, my life here and at work. I have my own stipulation. We will not hide our relationship from anyone. We will be open and honest with our co-workers. They deserve that from us. We will fill out the proper forms for socialization. No secrets. That's all I want. I will not let you be ashamed of me."

"Harry, I've never been ashamed of you."

Ruth thought about what Harry said and felt it fair given all that's happened and will happen. "There will be no legal document Harry. I said I don't want anything to tie me down if I decide to leave. The only legal document will be a marriage license when we decide together the time is right. As they had talked, Sunday had turned to Monday, and Ruth looked at Harry and said, "Happy Valentine's Day."

Harry moved closer to Ruth and softly kissed her and the game of lovemaking began again as they once more started undressing each other as their passion increased and they began again to discover secrete sensitive sites on each other's body.

Between kisses Ruth asked, "Harry, do you think we can call in sick today."

"Definitely," he replied as he nuzzled her neck.

"Do you think we might get some food in the near future?"

"Maybe," was Harry's only reply as he kissed her again. This time she was flipping him onto his back.

The end