Chapter 14

***James Bond***

Bond was nervous. He spent his time in the Q's basement office following M's car with Tanner and Michael on CCTV cameras. He gritted his teeth, when he saw Michael helping M out of the car by offering her his hand.

Bond should have been there. What if she was still in pain? He would have definitely been aware and focused on her. Not like Michael, who looked around when he assisted her. That was Michael's job as bodyguard but Bond always seemed to lose sight of that when M was close to him.

"Do we have a camera inside 10 Downing street?"

"Of course not," Q replied exasperated. "It's PM's flat. He lives there."

"Yes, I know. That's why I'm asking. She can't go there alone," Bond argued. "What if they try to do something to her? She's there with…"

"Tanner, Michael and all the other guards that are in and around 10 Downing street." the younger man interrupted him. "And you're sitting here annoying me. The thing I don't understand, is why I should let you continue bothering me? She wanted you in the headquarters when she's back. Which means you can wait anywhere else."

Bond shut his mouth grudgingly. He was probably exaggeratedly worried over nothing. There was no reason to feel any alarm. Q was right. It was absurd to think anything would happen to her there, it would be a political disaster should any harm befall someone in the PM's residence.

Bond just couldn't help himself. He was scared to death when M wasn't by his side. This did not look promising for future assignments if he cannot do anything, but worry about what was happening back home with M.

James endured the longest twenty minutes of his life until he finally saw her on a CCTV camera heading from the Prime Minister's home. It was his cue to go upstairs and wait for her in her office. He didn't know how or if he should explain himself. She was his boss and from the moment he took her from the hospital Bond had crossed every boundary he could think of. If he continued in this obsessive manner, M had every right to order his elimination.

Bond was so lost in his thoughts looking out the window, he didn't see her standing in front of the doors to her office, obviously waiting for him. The prickly feeling of being watched made him turn around.

"My office," M ordered him calmly.

He didn't even replied, only followed her, Tanner and Michael were inside. M didn't offer any of them seats.

"Gentlemen, as of today, I consider the affair with the Prime Minister closed. If I do not hear about his resignation tomorrow, I'll hand in the evidence to Mallory and the committee to decide. Sooner or later he will be forced to give up the Prime Minister's position. I appreciate all your hard work. Thank you for everything you did to protect our country, but most of all, thank you for what you did for me personally."

James had a bad feeling about her monologue. All this time she was looking at Tanner and Michael, she never turned her eyes to him.

"That will be all," she ended her speech. "You're free to go. Michael, we'll be going through your duties later. Bond, stay a moment, will you?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he murmured and waited, while the others filed out of her office. It was his time to come clean. How do you tell your boss you are hopelessly in love with them?

***Olivia Mansfield & James Bond ***

Olivia waited patiently for her agent to speak. Again, he looked different, almost vulnerable. It was screaming to her in urgency, to the part that was so fond of him.

"You won't be terminated for what has happend Bond. If that was something you were worried about. There is no need for that, but let's be clear. I have overlooked all your unruly behavior from the past weeks because you were on a mission. It is just that I happened to be that mission that allowed me to see what you do from a different angle." She smiled slightly and waited a moment, hoping for a nod or slight response from him.

"I love you," Bond met her eyes calmly.

Olivia swallowed and heaved a sad sigh. She stood up and took a few steps to him. This was not a matter of her working responsibilities and she couldn't stay behind her desk. "Bond..." she whispered placatory.

"You're not listening to me!" Bond accused her angrily. "You're seeing me as an agent, who would do anything you order me to do, because that's my job! But I was not guarding your life out of obligation to my country."

Olivia's heart ached painfully with the amount of pain she could see in his expression. God, how much she wished it could be the truth, but it was absolutely foolish. She was his boss and she was so much older than him.

"Bond, I'm an old..."

"For God's sake, woman. Would you kindly shut up?"

That statement did the trick. M was so shocked he would dare say something like this to her, she couldn't even open her mouth and chastise him.

Bond took a step closer and look at her intently. "I don't care how old are you. I don't care who are you. You died in my arms."

Olivia watched his throat worked around the stabbing words. She held her breath.

"You died in my arms," Bond repeated with a broken voice. "For so long I was so furious with you. I even wanted to hurt you for it, for leaving me like that. And in one fleeting moment, you were gone and you took everything with you. I didn't want to live without you. I was dead inside."

Dear God, he meant every word.

"I know you're my boss. I know I shouldn't say a word about my personal feelings. I'm not asking you for anything. I will gladly take anything, you're willing to given me. If it must remain on professional basis between us, I'm alright with it. Just let me be near you and make sure you're alright."

Olivia blinked and finally gathered some of her wits. She carefully placed her palm on his chest. Jesus, he really felt this way for her. His heart was beating madly in his chest and he looked downright miserable.

Bond took her hand carefully into his own, leaned down and kissed her knuckles. Olivia's insides clenched, when she saw the guarded look in his eyes, which were now on her level.

"This is..." her voice sounded breathless. "The last time, we're doing this in my office."

"In your office?" Bond repeated quietly, looking into her eyes intently and a bit confused as she moved towards him.

She nodded, as she stood on her toes and stretched upward to kiss his lips.

Bond didn't kissed her back with the intensity he wished, he just stood there in shock, letting her decide what would happen next.

This was a completely different reaction that M had expected from the infamous ladies man. Her eyes fluttered open and she took a step back from him. He looked like he was savoring the moment with a small smile on his lips.

Bond cleared his throat and stare at her. "So... when you said not in your office, what about..."

"Get back to work, 007. You owe me a few reports," Olivia fought to stay collected and not to react to his smirk and sparkling eyes. She sat down behind her desk and opened the folder in front of her.

"I will see you tonight, Ma'am," he nodded.

"Don't be late!" Olivia didn't raise her eyes from the pages in front of her when she spoke. She couldn't even concentrate enough on to see. The moment the doors finally closed behind him, she could no longer suppress the radiant smile that broke across her face.

THE END