Not sure how many are still reading this, so prob only a chapter or two to go.

"This is James."

"No, I'm daddy," pronounced James.

"Sorry, I forgot," said Harry with more patience than most people would have given him credit for. "And this is Emma. She's come to look after you whilst I go to work."

"I'll come too," said James, "play planes with Deetry."

"Yes, well I think Dimitri will be far too busy to play planes today, but you'll be able to play with Emma instead."

"Hello, James," smiled Emma. Fortunately he had forgotten that he was meant to be daddy and they could all revert to type.

James took Ruth's hand and looked up at her. "You look after me."

She bent down to him and stroked his cheek, "I'm sorry, darling but I have to go to work with daddy."

"The agency said you were on your own, I didn't realise you were married," smiled Emma at Harry.

"I'm not,"

'…..Yet,' thought Harry.

'…..Yet,' thought Ruth.

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Emma, "I didn't meant to embarrass you."

"You didn't' said Harry. She had, a little.

Ruth smiled at James and said, "Hey I know a secret," James looked vaguely interested, Ruth whispered "I know that one of Emma's favourite things in all the world are…" she paused, "dinosaurs!"

James' face lit up and he looked at Emma.

She gasped and said "I love dinosaurs" and then she reached down swept him up in her arms and headed to the living room, promising him he could be a velociraptor if she could be a t-rex.

"She is pretty," Ruth said casually, moving to the sink with the breakfast bowls.

"I hadn't noticed" he was distracted, she had moved more that two feet away from him and it was far, far too far. He gravitated to her and put his arms around her waist, his mouth seeking her neck.

"Of course you hadn't," she said.

"Ruth, I'm tired, let's go back to bed."

"No Harry, let's go to work."

"Where's your spirit of adventure?"

"Where's you spirit of professionalism?"

"I left it in bed."

"Harry, come on, or we'll be late."

They drove to work. Her hand resting on the back of his seat, her fingers playing with his hair.

"Ruth?"

"Yes Harry."

"At work, do we have to pretend."

"Pretend what?"

"Do we have to pretend that things are the same, as they were…..because I don't think I can," he said.

"I think we've both had enough pretending, don't you?"

"Yes, Ruth. We have."

"Good."

"Good," he repeated, "besides you're going in wearing the same things, so they'll probably guess anyway."

"Ah but, I've got a change of clothes in my desk drawer."

"What, in case you were caught wanting, after a mad night of passion?"

"Exactly, one never knows when the moment will strike, Harry."

"How long have they been there?"

"About five years!"

Harry walked into the HS office. He had dropped Ruth off at Thames House and she had scurried to the Grid to change.

"Morning Home Secretary."

"Morning Harry, glad to see you're still in employment, the DG must have softened in his old age."

"Indeed he must," said Harry thinking back to James' proclamation by the pod doors.

The HS smiled, "Do you have the information, I requested?"

"Of course," said Harry reaching into his briefcase and passing the file.

"Mmm, " pondered the HS, after he had opened it, "and what would you call this, Harry?"

"I'm sorry, I would agree it's not as comprehensive as we would have liked."

"No, Harry, what would you call this?" said the HS brandishing a document.

"That?" Answered Harry, "That, I would call a Thomas the Tank Engine sticker."

"Indeed?" said the HS, thoughtfully, "and is this an addition to the usual Section D information pack.

"I believe it is, Home Secretary, I think it is probably a special limited edition."

Harry smiled.