Disclaimed.
Final instalment. Hope you enjoy.
Chapter 3
"How's Harry?"
Ruth had barely emerged from the pods.
"He's grumpy, Beth."
"That's a good sign, then"
Ruth smiled. She was right it was a good sign and for the first time in several weeks she felt much lighter in spirit. It had been a difficult and stressful period for all of them. Finally Harry was recovering, he'd been a long time in intensive care but possibly by next week they would release him and maybe life on the Grid would settle down to something resembling normal.
"Ruth, for you" Dimitri waved a phone towards her. "It's the hospital" he said softly.
"What's happened?" she said crossing to him.
"They won't say."
"Hello"
"Hello, Mrs Pearce?" they'd never quite got round to telling the hospital that there hadn't actually been any kind of wedding, it just seemed easier this way and they both kind of liked it.
"Yes. What's happened? Is he alright?"
The pause was far too long and Ruth's pulse paused with it.
"Please, tell me."
"I'm not quite sure what happened.. it's just…. well…I'm sorry but your husband appears to be missing"
"What?"
"We've searched and there's no sign of him. I have staff about to go through the CCTV now"
"We'll do that. Someone will be with you very soon."
Ruth put the phone down, her mind racing through the possibilities. The Grid had gone as quiet as it ever could.
"Harry's missing."
They had gone through as many credible possibilities as they could think of whilst Dimitri headed for the hospital. Tariq was trying to access CCTV feeds around it. Alec, who had stayed with them since joining the search for Lucas, and Beth were checking the records of recent arrivals of foreign agents and terrorist groups into the UK. It was hard to narrow down. Harry had made so many enemies over the years and he was still a prize asset to various undesirables who would love to know what he knew, who would do anything to know what he knew. That's what really scared Ruth.
She was the senior member of the department now and they were all looking to her for their lead, as it had been in the past few weeks. She had quite enjoyed the responsibility of it, but that was only because the Grid had been relatively quiet and she'd had no major decisions to make. That was Harry's domain. She missed his certainty right now as she desperately tried to suppress the rising tide of panic for his safety.
"Anything?" She asked Beth.
"No."
"Alec?"
"Nothing credible yet."
We'll find him Ruth, don't worry" Beth smiled gently. Hadn't they'd been through enough in the last few weeks.
The phone rang.
"Dimitri?" Ruth's voice pleaded for some news.
"Ruth, I'm going through the cctv but I haven't found any…." he paused
"What, what have you seen?'
"Ruth, it's Harry. Hang on"
She was about to scream down the phone at him when the pods swished open and she heard Beth's shocked gasp.
It was Harry.
He stepped out delicately, nursing his hand, he looked pale and a little weak, still not fully recovered from the many and quite brutal injuries he had sustained. He was muttering about something under his breath, something to do with doors or taxis.
"Harry" cried Beth.
He looked up. "Why can you never get a bloody cab when it's raining?"
Beth and Alec laughed with relief. Tariq emerged and started as he saw Harry walk past him and head for his office. Ruth had said nothing. If she had been rational enough she would have analysed that in this single moment she was more angry than she had ever been in her entire life.
They all stood and watched him carefully lower himself down into his seat and reach for the nearest pile of papers that were collected on his desk.
Ruth was roused momentarily by someone calling her name, she realised it was Dimitri still on the end of the phone. She registered it and simply handed the phone to Beth and headed to Harry's office. Beth put the phone to her ear. "Dimitri. Harry's here" she paused as she watched Ruth approach his door "he's fine, though he might not be for long."
Ruth slid the door shut behind her. He hadn't looked up, just mumbled "does nobody in this damned building knock". By the time he did look up he realised, somewhat belatedly, that he was in for both barrels.
Alec and Beth cringed. This wasn't going to be pretty. Tariq looked at them "The George?" They beat a hasty retreat.
"Ruth have you finished shouting at me?"
It was the first time she'd paused for several minutes.
"Because if you have, I wondered if you'd like to go to dinner tonight"
"If you think you are in any fit state to go gallivanting about to fancy restaurants, when you should still be in a hospital bed, then you've got another thing coming!"
"But Ruth, I'm a recently married man and I still haven't had a chance to take my wife out."
She stopped mid breath, the next rant temporarily paused. Harry ceased the initiative and as he spoke stood up, which was easier said than done. "She has a bit of a temper, you see" his eyes twinkled hoping he knew her well enough to not get further battered "you'd like her I think, you're quite alike. The thing is that I really do love her and I thought she might appreciate it." He was moving slowly towards her, it was almost like watching someone taming a wild animal, except she was no longer feeling very wild, in fact as hard as she tried to remain angry with him, the more she found that small smirk of his the most desirable thing in the world.
"I haven't really been there for her lately, but I want to be now" he was speaking so softly as he leant in to her, his mouth only a hair's breath from her ear, "in fact, we've not had a moment to ourselves since we took our vows." His voice whispered into her ear and poured down her spine, "I mean, how long's a man got to wait for his wedding night?" She felt his fingers slide to her face as he turned her to him, face to face, he was smiling. She had no chance.
She tried to keep her face straight, she failed.
"You're well enough for that then?"
"Mmmm" he purred, bringing his mouth to hers.
She paused from the midst of the sensual kiss, which took no small amount of effort, "and what did the doctor say?"
"Bugger the doctor" he mumbled and enveloped her in a kiss that would have taken her breath away, if it hadn't gone already.
They sat in the George. Ploughman's and pints. Dimitri had got the message to avoid the Grid at all costs and meet them here.
No one spoke. Until.
"Maybe we shouldn't have left them," said Tariq somberly.
"It always seemed to me that Ruth was quite mild mannered, not that I know her that well…clearly" added Alec.
"I don't fancy Harry's chances" said Dimitri.
They fell silent again
There was a shout from the bar, as the barman leant over
"Call for you"
They looked at each other.
"Go on Tariq" said Beth.
He just looked at her.
"You're the nearest".
He got up muttering how it was always him and was passed the handset.
"Hello?"
"Is no one going to do any work today?"
"On our way, Harry"