SmileyFace I hope the spacing thing has worked, not sure if you're reading this one or not.

Chapter 7

As the weeks went by, James continued to care for M and was amazed at how quickly she was recovering. He was sitting in the waiting room of M's Doctor's office, surrounded by screaming kids and praying she wouldn't be long. He looked up when he heard the door opening and M appeared in front of him with a stick.

"Well, the Doctor's given me the all clear."

"Wow, no crutches."

"I've to use the stick as little as possible, it's only a slight limp now."

"You'll be back at work in no time then." He smiled.

"I can't wait, are you ready to go."

"Absolutely."

M tried to stifle a laugh as James ushered out of the building as quickly as he could.

"James, for goodness sake slow down. What's the hurry."

"Sorry, I just couldn't stand all those kids screaming and the germs."

"They're Children James not terrorists." She smiled.

"Still, anyway…let's get you home."

They drove back to M's flat and she managed to make it up the steps alone. When they got inside, M made her way over to her drinks cabinet and began pouring them a drink.

"M , I can do that for you."

"James, sit down. I am more than capable now."

"Sorry."

He sat down and waited for her to join him. She handed him a glass before taking a seat beside him.

"Cheers." She smiled.

"Cheers…..So you really feel ready to return to work huh."

"Most of the time I'm sat behind a desk anyway, so it isn't like I'll be on my feet all day and you'll finally be able to get back into the field."

"Yeah, I guess so." He replied, his tone showing no enthusiasm.

"What is it."

"I don't know, I guess I've just gotten used to the time off and spending it with you."

"I could think of better things I'd be doing that using up my leave to look after an old woman."

James sat his glass down and turned to face her. He watched her intently as she took a sip of her drink.

"What, do I have something on my face." She asked, suddenly self-conscious.

"No, you look great."

"Then why are you looking at me like that, you're starting to worry me a little."

"You're not old."

"What?"

"You just said that you could imagine me doing better things with my holiday than taking care of an old woman."

"Oh I see."

"And I'm just saying that I don't think of you that way."

"Okay." She said, feeling the tension between them.

She watched as James put his hand in the inside of his jacket and pulled out a small box and passed it to her.

"What's this." She asked.

"Well open it and find out."

M did as he asked and opened the small blue he had handed her. When she pulled back the lid she saw the small blue sapphire stud earrings. She smiled as she looked up at him.

"I thought they matched your eyes." He smiled.

"Oh James, they're so beautiful."

"Here, let me help you with them."

He took the earrings out of the box and placed them in her ears one by one. He pulled back to look at her.

"Perfect."

"James, they're beautiful…they really are but why."

"Why what?"

"Why did you buy them."

"I bought them because I saw them in the shop window and immediately thought of you."

"You thought of me." M asked, astonished.

James moved a little closer to her and took hold of her hand.

"Mallory pointed something out to me a few weeks back when I went to see him."

"Oh and what was that."

"When he accused you of being sentimental about me during the Silva mess he…."

"James I don't think….."

"He was right, you are and somewhere along the line, probably in the chapel….I began to feel something for you too. Something that I suppose was always there just under the surface and I was either too blind or too afraid to see it."

"James, what are you telling me."

"God this is harder than I thought it would be. I know I've always had women drop at my feet but that's work, it's part of getting the information I need to complete a mission. All those women I have sex with, they don't mean anything to me, it's just work."

"Vesper wasn't."

"No, she wasn't. I admit she was the one woman I let get too close to me and look what happened."

"You know she had no choice James, she did what she did for love."

"I know that, I know that now. That's what I'm trying to tell you now, everything that happened with Silva, you and I going off alone. Granted it wasn't the best plan but I wanted that man dead for what he was putting you through and your accident with the car, giving up my hoilday leave to take care of you."

"James I don't understand what…."

"I did it all for you, I did it for you because I love you."

To Be Continued…