Thank you for all the reviews for the last chapter. I've really enjoyed writing the last few chapters. Hopefully I can sort all this mess out for HR at some point!

"What about the father?" he asked as he handed Ruth a bag of her things. He'd quickly been to her flat to pick up some of her clothes and that question had been going through his head the entire journey away from the hospital.

"I've told him," Ruth said. "It didn't go down too well. He seemed to think it was entirely my fault and that he had nothing to do with it." She rolled her eyes before grabbing her phone that Harry had brought her.

"And this is an old University "friend", is it?" Harry asked cynically.

"Oh, he'll calm down," she said. "He just doesn't like anything complicating his life."

"Do I get a name?" Harry asked tersely. "Or do I keep having to refer to him as "the father?""

Ruth looked at him sharply. "I thought…"

"I said I wanted to be with you, and I want to try to make it work. It doesn't mean I like thinking about him," he said, interrupting her, and holding her eyes with an intense gaze.

"John," she said, clearly reluctant. "He wanted me to… get rid of it, and I've not spoken to him since."

Harry looked at her sharply. It had never even occurred to him about an abortion, because he knew without even asking that that wouldn't be an option for Ruth. "I'm sorry," he said. "That can't have been… nice."

"No." She closed her eyes in surprise as Harry kissed her very gently. When they parted, she put her fingers to her lips as the door opened and a doctor came in, checking her vitals.

"Harry, I need to get out of here," she said, rather fervently.

He was delighted to hear that Ruth wanted to get out of hospital quickly. It meant that she was getting better and recovering, and no matter his private feelings and misgivings about Ruth and her pregnancy, her getting out of hospital could only be a good thing.

"If you insist on going home, we can't stop you," the doctor said. "But I must make it incredibly clear to you, you must stay on bed rest, and someone needs to be taking care of you. For the baby if you wouldn't do it for yourself."

"I will," she said. And she meant it.

"She will," Harry confirmed. The doctor looked at Harry as if considering whether he was a strong enough force to keep Ruth in bed when she was recovering. After a moment, he nodded and filled out a form.

"Well, if you get this prescription filled out, then I can sign your discharge papers and get you home."

Ruth nodded and when they were alone a few minutes later, Harry turned to her. "Talking about discharge papers…"

"You want to leave the service?" she asked. "Seriously?"

"Do you?"

"I'm done," she said heavily. "I can't do it any more. I can't deal with the scum of the earth, investigating terrorists, making links with different splinter groups, waiting for bombs to go off… I cannot do it any longer and I want to leave the service. While I'm still sane."

"You're not technically working for the security services any more," Harry said.

"I know," she said. "But I don't want to be a politician Harry. I never did."

"You need to tell Towers."

"I will," she said. "Though I don't think he'll be that surprised. He knows I'm… what did he say? "Tied" to you."

"Mm," Harry grumbled. "I'll resign my commission when you get home."

"Don't do it for me," she said. "Do it for you. If you do it for me, you'll end up resenting me for it."

"I am done," he said. "The longer I stay in the service, the longer I see that it chews up everything and everyone who goes into it. And I've lasted a lot longer than most. If I stay any longer I can see me either being shot or imprisoned. Probably by my own side, because I know too much. I am retiring. It is not for you. Not only for you," he added fairly. I want a life with you. I decided that when I was thinking about the baby. I have made that decision."

She gave him a warm look that couldn't quite be put into words. "Do you want to move out of London?" she asked.

"Your house?"

"No," she said, shaking her heads. "I got outbid. I've been checking my emails," she said, holding up her phone. "It's far too expensive now, and really… I'd quite like to find something with you, rather than stick you in the house that's my vision. I want it to be our house." He smiled for a moment, then thought of something.

"I have a house," he said. "On the south coast, owned by a false identity of mine. Dorset. It's totally empty and needs a hell of a lot of work. But it's in a beautiful place. It's far from London in a sleepy little village. You could come and see it, when you're off bed rest? See if you like it, or if you'd prefer somewhere else."

"Why do you own that?" she asked curiously.

"It was a bolt hole," he said. "If I ever needed it. I've never used it though. It's got a lovely view." Ruth didn't say anything so he carried on. "If you want us to buy something together…"

"We'll have a look," she said gently. "I'm not going to say yes or no before I even see it." He smiled at her as the doctor returned, proffering her a form.

"So if you read this and sign here…"

More soon, probably after the weekend again!