We've finally (more or less) reached the end of this, there may potentially be a small epilogue but I haven't decided on that just yet, this chapter was a real struggle to write so I shall have to see. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed this, it is much appreciated, particularly as it ballooned from a two chapter story into something three times the size! And apologies must go to R4ven and Transmission64, I couldn't have Harry unhappy with the result could I!

This continues on straight from the last chapter

"Sorry," Harry pulled back slightly, despite the fact that Ruth was still smiling softly at him, "I shouldn't have done that, I shouldn't have kissed you."

"Oh," Ruth said slowly, "I thought it was rather nice but..."

"It was," Harry sighed as they settled back down into their seats as the crowd slowly started to come back down to earth after the excitement of the hat trick, "but..."

Ruth tried to mask the hurt on her face, "but now you're regretting it."

"No, it's not that;" Harry shifted in his seat, "it's not that at all," he reiterated firmly after seeing the look of doubt starting to creep in onto her face.

"Then what is it?"

Harry glanced around them, it was hardly the time or the place to be having this conversation but it really didn't look like he had much choice; why, he mused to himself, hadn't he just kept his mouth closed, or better yet, leaned in for another kiss. "You said, not that long ago, that you didn't think you could cope with us as a couple …" he started hesitantly.

"That's not quite what I said."

"Well words to that effect," Harry continued. "I'm your boss Ruth, there's no way we can escape that fact, and I've just kissed you, despite you telling me that you didn't want to continue... or even start a relationship with me."

Ruth let out a short laugh, more out of relief than anything else. "And you were afraid that I was going to hit you with a sexual harassment case first thing tomorrow morning, or something similar?" she said with a wry smile.

Harry looked aghast, "What, no... that never even crossed my mind."

Ruth took hold of his hand and squeezed it, "nor mine," she said lightly. "But the look on your face just then was something to behold."

"Well I'm glad I'm keeping you amused, Miss Evershed," he answered drolly, "if nothing else."

"So," Ruth carried on, "what you're trying to tell me, isn't that you're sorry you kissed me, but more that you're sorry that you didn't check first?"

Harry nodded, "that's not quite how I would have put it... but yes."

"Is that normal practice with you?" Ruth teased, "check first or apologise if it happens on the spur of the moment?"

"Wha," Harry started to speak, before looking at her face and realising she was winding him up a little. "No, not usually, but you're a particularly special case."

Ruth laughed, more at the look on his face than what he was saying. "I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or something else," she joked.

"I'd go with compliment," he smiled. "Look this is probably one of the worst places we could be having this conversation..."

She winked at him "And it's stopping you watching the game."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know. Well why don't we leave it then for now," Ruth said softly, "we can talk more about our situation, or whatever you want to call it, next week when you take me for Sunday Lunch in that pub you mentioned."

"You're still keen, I thought I might have frightened you off again?"

Ruth looked puzzled, "why would you think that?" she asked. She moved her head closer to his and spoke softly, "I know we have to talk about this, about what we both want and how it's going to affect us working together, but I'm not in the habit of spending days out with my boss and holding his hand for the fun of it."

"Holding hands," Harry looked down to where their fingers were linked together and resting on his thigh, "I don't think I've approached a relationship like this since I was a teenager." There was no malice in his voice, just an acceptance of facts.

"You're my Boss Harry, it has to be different. I'm not just thinking of us here."

Harry squeezed her hand in agreement. "You said us just being friends was what you wanted, even earlier today."

"I know what I said, I don't know who I was trying to convince, myself or you."

"So does that mean..."

"I don't know entirely what it means Harry, but it does mean we have to approach this slowly, more carefully that we would if we weren't working together." Ruth spoke softly, "I also don't like the idea of people talking about me, or you, behind my back. They're my peers and I'm worried about how my relationship would change with them as it changes with you. But," she took and deep breath and continued, "today has been one of the nicest days I've had in a long time, and I rather think that that's down to the company than the choice of destination and that's why I think we should give us a chance."

Harry caught her eye and smiled, so much for saving the talking for next Sunday, he valiantly tried to change the subject. "I thought you were enjoying it, the cricket that is."

"I am... but I wouldn't have been persuaded to come here with anyone else but you."

Harry's eyes lit up with pleasure, "I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

Ruth coloured slightly but didn't reply to his comment. "I'd like to see where this goes," she indicated between the two of them, "where we go, but I don't want to do it with any pressure."

Harry nodded, it seemed they were having the chat now, still it was better than being left in limbo for a week and Ruth taking flight again. "Okay then, but what does that actually mean?"

"I don't know what it means... apart from that I'd like it to be kept between the two of us for the time being..." She looked at him and raised her eyebrows, "and I don't want you to say sorry to me each time you kiss me!"

He smiled gently before leaning over and kissing he softly on the cheek, "no more apologising, and no one will hear a word about it from me."

"Thank you. I know it sounds a bit silly, but I'd rather not be the topic of constant speculation each time we talk on the grid or go out together. And I certainly don't want to be known as the person who's scrumping the boss." Ruth finished the end of her speech and suddenly went a fetching shade of beetroot as she realised what she'd said.

"Scrumping?" Harry asked softly, lifting his left eyebrow in a comical fashion, his face also a touch redder than it had been a moment ago.

"You know what I mean," Ruth mumbled quietly, while inwardly berating herself for letting her tongue run away with itself.

Fortunately Harry chose to let that topic slide, "I do," he said squeezing her hand in confirmation. "Ahh," he cleared his throat, "you do realise Adam and Zaf are here today?"

Ruth nodded, "Yes, Malcolm told me, they've brought Wes with them I believe?"

He tilted his head in the affirmative, "Yes, well, I bumped into them earlier, Adam and Wes that is."

"And?"

"Adam indicated that he knew that you may be joining me here today... and obviously Malcolm knows as he gave you the ticket."

Ruth shrugged her shoulders, "that can't be helped," she responded, "if either of them asks me tomorrow, I'll just say it was uneventful and leave it at that, I can't imagine Malcolm will push anything."

Harry nodded, "and if Adam says anything, which I don't think he will, I'll just tell him that you were as knowledgeable about the cricket as he is about the dogs, and for anything else he can mind his own beeswax!"

Malcolm looked at the phone in his hand and groaned, three texts were sat waiting to be read and the subject of all three looked to be the same; his one saving grace, was that none had come from either Harry or Ruth's phone. The ones from Zaf and Adam were on the same topic, 'just seen you on the big screen, thought you were up in Lincs? You might want to move away from the camera's for any further wickets – chat tomorrow' from Adam, while Zaf's was straight to the point, 'don't blame me tomorrow if Harry and Ruth know you were at the cricket, blame it on you getting your 10 seconds of fame on the big screen.' Fortunately the third was much more agreeable, 'Malcolm old chap, hadn't realised you were here today. Fancy a swift pint after we've seen off the colonials? Rose and Crown 5 mins from the Ground.' It was from an old friend he hadn't seen for a couple of years and after deleting the first two, he replied in the affirmative to the third; it would be good to see John again and it would also take his mind off worrying whether he'd been caught out in his lie by Harry and Ruth...

"One more wicket to go," Wes beamed as the ninth Australian batsman walked off to a loud chorus of cheering and singing.

Adam glanced down at his watch while smiling at his sons enthusiasm, "well they've got 30 more minutes to get him, or the game will be going into tomorrow."

"Do you really think we're going to win now?"

Adam nodded and clapped his hand on Wes' shoulder. "Even I think we can't lose from here, the Australians have to get too many runs and they don't have enough wickets left, it'd take a miracle to win from here, I just hope we get to see them lift the trophy tonight."

"So do I," Wes spoke excitedly as his father turned to answer a question asked by the man sitting next to him. He looked up as Zaf edged his way back down the line towards them manhandling two beers and a coke, "Zaf, where have you been? You missed all the wickets, we've nearly won the Ashes!"

"I know Wes, I saw them on the TV," he answered, passing the beer over to Adam in an unspoken act of apology following their earlier disagreement. "At least I'll hopefully get to see the most important one," he indicated towards the field with his head while taking a sip of his beer. It appeared Adam had accepted his apology by proxy of beer, but he'd made his mind up while skulking downstairs, that the names Harry and Ruth wouldn't be spoken in tandem by himself while in the vicinity of Malcolm or Adam in the near future.

Wes leaned over and spoke quietly to Zaf while Adam was distracted by his neighbour on the other side again, "I'm sorry I told Dad about what you asked me and got you into trouble."

Zaf ruffled his hair, "you've got nothing too be sorry for mate, I shouldn't have asked you in the first place."

Wes nodded seriously as if thinking things over, "Dad was a bit cross about it all."

"I know Wes, I know."

"He's like that with me when I don't tidy my room." He leaned over and spoke softly, "so when I do ask Uncle Harry if Ruth is his girlfriend, I promise I'll keep it really quiet and just tell you what he says," he said, with a big cheeky grin on his face. "I won't tell Dad anything."

Zaf laughed out loud, although Wes was like a clone of Adam looks wise; from a personality perspective, there was definitely the cheek and sense of mischievousness of Fiona shining straight through him.

"HOWZAT!" came the roar of the crowd and the eleven English players on the field, as the last remaining batsman was hit plum in front on his pads with the ball and given out LBW.

Once again the crowd, including Harry and Ruth, had jumped up in excitement along with the players, and as the umpire raised his right hand to give the final Australian batsman out, pandemonium broke out both on and off the field with the players hugging and backslapping each other and in Harry and Ruth's case, hugging and another gentle kiss to celebrate the win. "I won't apologise this time," Harry said with a grin, as he pulled back and applauded the players, as after shaking hands with the Australian team, they turned round and applauded the crowd, taking in a quick lap of honour before the presentation ceremony.

"Are we staying to watch?" Ruth asked, as around them some members of the crowd slowly stood to pack their belongs up and head home once the initial excitement and cheering had died down.

Harry nodded, "if you'd like to? It's the first time I've ever seen the Ashes being lifted."

"Well then we're definitely staying," Ruth said, leaning over and kissing his cheek quickly.

"Well its been lovely meeting and chatting to you both!" Harry and Ruth were both brought out of their little bubble by the lady who had been sitting in front of them once again, "we've got to head off now as some cheapskate," she nodded her head towards her husband, "bought train tickets that have to be used at a certain time, rather than spending a couple more quid and getting open tickets."

"That's a shame," Ruth said neutrally, while the husband in question nodded at them both, in pity of solidarity Harry wasn't quite sure, before starting to edge his way out towards the exit.

His wife didn't seem to have the same hurry to leave and carried on talking, "you know, I could've sworn at the beginning of the day that you two were wed, you just had that look about you."

Harry looked bemused, "Look?" he asked.

She ignored him and continued, "but listening to you all day and finding out you've just starting seeing each other, well, that's just lovely..."

"Listening to us?" this time he spoke with a little more steel in his voice.

Again Harry's comment was ignored, "he hasn't let you buy a drink all day has he love?" Ruth shook her head, completely nonplussed as the lady finally looked like she was about to leave, "well then, it looks like you've got yourself a winner there then love." She pointed her finger towards her quickly departing husband, "three times he made me go to the bar and not a word of thanks from him." She shook her head, "keep hold of this one, he's a charmer."

Ruth nodded this time as she felt the gurgle of a giggle threaten to rise from her throat, she could feel Harry's tension from her hand resting on his thigh, and knew that he was worried about how she was going to react to the situation.

"Bye then," Harry said curtly, "lovely meeting you." The sarcasm was laced through his tone and Ruth winced as she heard it.

Fortunately this wasn't picked up on by the oblivious lady, "and you lovey, and make sure you treat her well, at your age this could be your last roll of the dice." With that and a cheery wave she was off leaving Harry spluttering in her wake.

"At my age, she must have been 10 years older than me and not a day less!"

Ruth finally let go of the laugh she was keeping in and once she started she couldn't stop, "Oh Harry, your face then, I thought you were going to explode at her at one point."

Harry rubbed his hand down his face, "I can't believe she's spent the whole day listening to us."

"Well at last we weren't discussing assassinating people at any stage or various terrorist cells," Ruth said softly so she couldn't be heard.

"I should get Malcolm to put a trace on her," Harry said jokingly, "we could recruit her to go into hostile situations and get information out."

Ruth laughed, "like the rogue elements of the W.I?"

"You're not bothered too much by it all then?"

Ruth shook her head, "I felt sorry for her actually. I know she was quite cutting about her husband, but other than questions about food and drink they didn't seem speak to each other all day."

"Well it'll be food at the top of my list once we've got out of here and I've taken you home." Harry patted his stomach, "lunchtime was a long time ago!"

"You don't have to take me home Harry."

"I know, but I'd like to. We can get a taxi and I'll drop you off on the way to mine."

"It's hardly on the way," Ruth said with an amused look on her face.

"It is... kind of," Harry's eyes twinkled, "in a bit of a round and about way; unless you'd rather make your own way home? But it's nearly 6.30 now and it'll be 7.00 before we're out of here."

"No, that would be nice." Ruth hesitated a moment, "you know, there's a good Indian on the corner of my street, and since we're both going to be going home and won't have time to cook, maybe we could have an Indian together at mine?" She looked at him shyly when he didn't say anything, "what do you think?"

"I think it sounds like the perfect way to round off a perfect day." Harry answered with a grin, before once again leaning towards her and kissing her as cheers again rang out around the ground as the England team were presented with, and held aloft the Ashes trophy in triumph.

THE END