Chapter 09

***James Bond***

James was quiet. His mind drifted to the way M leaned on him when she exited the car to speak with Q. He couldn't stop thinking about her small frame pressed to his. He knew on some level that she was manipulating him. She was very good at that. The woman was nothing if not intelligent and adept at getting things she wanted or needed. It was the fact that she was using her body, in a sexual way, knowing now, or at least guessing his feelings for her. That's what was driving him to distraction. Women had done it to him in the past and he had certainly taken advantage the same way with them, but this was M. This was an entirely new game and he couldn't even guess the rules.

M had never been this informal with him. She would rather kill herself than show such weakness. To have her embrace him under the guise of weakness, It had to mean more. Maybe it wasn't an actual hug? M needed someone to lean on and it happened to be him, nothing more. The result was the same and he caved to her will, as she pretended to submit to his desire to remain her bodyguard.

M was near him and she had the courage to touch him, when on some level she knew what it meant to him. Her presence silently coming up beside him, he could have followed his instincts and ended up hurting her. That woman had more nerves than any operative he knew.

The days that followed didn't go well at all. M slept during most of it once they reached Kincade's cottage, near what remained of Skyfall.

Tanner and his men arrived the next day. The extra men Kincade managed to put up in a shed. M had the master bedroom, Bond slept on the floor of her room and Tanner was regulated to the sofa downstairs. The other men took four hour watch shifts and the dogs Kincade had would alert them should anyone come too close.

M remained aloof after all, she was their boss. Admitting her weakness before them did not sit well with her. She spoke sweetly to Kincade enough to aggravate Bond with irrational jealousy. Of course M would try to even the ground between them, but her behavior was worse than ever, thanks to the others. M wanted to make sure no one would understand or guess that something happened between the two of them. She was sharper than barber's razor towards Bond and most certainly prickly.

"Ma'am, in your condition..." Tanner uttered.

James winced. He tried not to listen to her conversation with the poor man, but eavesdropping was a part of his job. It just happened that he was in the other room and heard the unfortunate sentence. Anything starting with "in your condition" was an insult to her. Tanner should really have known better. The lot of them were treating her like a china doll, but she was improving and there had been no infection or fever. Tanner was just showing that he cared about her.

"You don't know a thing about my condition! Stop looking at me like I'm an invalid! Bond!" she called sharply.

"Ma'am," he murmured and was in the room in a second.

"I would like to take a nap. Will you please help me upstairs."

Bond had insisted on carrying her everywhere to not allow her stitches to reopen.

James gave poor Tanner a sympathetic look, as he fled the area.

"What did you do to make Tanner risk his life by logically pointing out your condition?" He asked giving her a smirk.

"I was opening the cabinet and he saw me wince in pain. Bloody stitches. I don't have time for this. We have to figure out who wants me dead. I will not stand for this nonsense. I hate doing nothing."

"You're healing and that is not nothing."

She turned and look at him furious. "Don't start again! I'm in command..."

"Not at the moment, you're not. You can take back command the moment you set foot back in MI6. Right now, you are a recuperating wounded woman." Bond tried to keep a smile from his face.

In conversations like this, the awkwardness between them disappeared. It was like their normal working relationship, where nothing intimately personal happened between them. No long night-time conversations, no long looks and no painful truths his heart couldn't take.

"You know, I liked you better when you were so full of guilt that you wouldn't talk back."

"Ma'am," he nodded with a small smile. "Are you ready to go upstairs and then dismiss me?"

"No, of course you're not dismissed yet! Open that bloody cabinet for me and don't give me any more of your cheek." M pointed with an angry gesture. "Then take me upstairs." Bond did as instructed, M took out a few magazines and books to look at later.

Bond scooped her up into his arms and walked up to Kincade's master bedroom. The man had insisted that she take the larger of the two rooms.

Bond did what she asked and then left her alone to sort out her books and clothes. He was closing the door, when he glanced back. Her regal posture was gone. She was heavily leaning against the dresser with one hand. The other pressed to her wound. She was in pain. He couldn't stand the sight of her like this. He left her alone by her instruction, but it was eating him alive.

James went back downstairs and found Tanner and the nearest agent in the kitchen. "We need a refill on the painkillers. Take Kincade into town to pick up his 'wife's painkillers. Tanner, have HQ fax a prescription for Emma Kincade."

"She's not going to be happy if she hears you say that." Tanner said as he made the call.

"Go find Kincade and ask him to go with you. Here is a list of things that may make her convalescence easier on all of us." Bond gave the list to the agent by the kitchen door.

"Yes, sir."

Hearing his mobile ring, James quickly answered the call, "Yes."

"I don't know how it happened, but someone may have found your location. Q found a breach in his system. You will have to move immediately. I will try to..."

"Code red! M!" he yelled, running up the stairs and throwing open the door. She was already on her way to him. He pulled her to his side without really thinking.

"What is it?"

"Mallory doesn't know, but Q thinks they've found us." Bond took the bag from underneath the bed and began to fill it, while M gathered what she needed from the bathroom.

Bond picked up his bedroll of blankets from the floor and rolled them so they could take them for her to lie in the back. Tanner and three men pull up in two Range Rovers while the fourth man took the blue Ford Bond borrowed from the family before returning to London.

M joined him with a bag full of her supplies and medications from the bathroom and tossed them in the duffle. Bond took the bag to the hall and tossed it down the stairs to Tanner as he turned back and picked up M in his arms.

In a second, all the black clad agents were around him. "We take her out, two cars, M and Tanner with me and you follow. I don't want any mistakes. Tanner line the back with these blankets."

"Lad, are you sure?" Kincade said as he held the door open for them.

"Yes, Q is sure." M was still cradled in his arms and he could see that Kincade was asking her as much as he was Bond.

"Thank you for the hospitality, Kincade. Be careful, won't you?"

"Aye lass, I will be and you keep this one in line and out of the line of fire. I want you back here for a proper visit once you're better."

M smiled at him causing Bond to groan and roll his eyes as the man attempted to charm M.

"Not now you two." James put her down. He walked out the front door. At that exact same time he was almost killed with a rain of bullets. He turned her back towards Kincade and handed her to the man as he drew his gun.

The car was on the road away from the cottage and travelling fast.

"Bond, don't be stupid." M called as he ran over to their cars crouching down beside Tanner and the other men with their guns firing at the car retreating down the road.

They needed all the manpower they had just to cover her retreat. He was calm. This was where his training kicked in. He grabbed the first agent closest to him by his tie and pulled him near his face. "What's your name?" Bond realized he had not spoken two words to the young man before and that he was new.

"Michael."

"Listen to me, Michael. Very clearly. You will guard her with your life. If she dies it's on your head, I will hunt you down and kill you with my bare hands, understand!"

"Bond!" Tanner yelled, as they gathered back to the door of the cottage. M was resting against Kincade's side. "What's the plan?"

"You have to stay with him." Bond motioned to Michael. "You'll be alright. Kincade, the two of you keep her safe and we will both lead them away and chase them down. Philip," Bond called motioning to the other guard who he had known for years. "You take a car and head quickly straight towards London as fast as you can. They will hopefully think she is with you. Tanner, make a very public call that Philip is coming in hot with M lying in the back, understand?"

"Yes, misdirection. What about us?" Tanner asked.

"We are after them. Kincade and Michael will watch over M here. They will think we moved her, but do not inform anyone of this plan. I know Mallory and Q are on our side, but we need them to believe she is actually on her way to London."

Philip gave a nod and climbed into the Range Rover and headed out at high speed in the opposite direction the drive by car went.

"You're with me, Tanner. We'll chase them down."

Olivia was not impressed by the plan. "I can forgive you a lot of things, but not abandoning me and your post. This is not helpless situation. We can all stay together and head to London. You and Tanner don't have to sacrifice yourselves. Mallory could send back up and we can all head out together."

"You will be alright, ma'am." James said hoping that she will understand and accept this.

"I bloody won't be alright! Don't make me hide here while the rest of you risk your lives, James."

He tried to ignore the fact that she said his name with her eyes full of concern. She would put herself in harm's way and let herself get killed just to stay with him. To stay as a part of the mission.

"No...I'm in charge and this is the best plan. Kincade will look over you as well as Michael." Bond could not resist smirking at her before shooting a glare at the old man. At least Kincade had the decency to blush.

This could be the last moment he had with her, he looked at her worried face. Bond leaned forward so his lips were near her ear. "I lied, Olivia, I will do it again."

He had her attention and she held her breath, as if shocked by his proximity.

"I told you I would never leave you, but I will. If I think I can kill the bastards trying to take you from me again, I have to break my promise and leave you." He wanted to kiss her cheek, but he knew he didn't have enough time. He breathed in her scent as his stubble and lips barely caressed her cheek. He pressed a slip of paper into her palm and backed away.

"Watch her!" he ordered coldly and stepped away towards Tanner and the Range Rover. This was a mess, but he finally managed to breathe again as the car was speeding down the road.