Disclaimer I do not own BUGS. Is anyone reading this? Please review if you are.
Misguided Optimism.
Ros tensed as she realised Beckett had stepped in front of her. She was never the type of woman that had acted as the damsel in distress. She had never needed protecting before and she was damned if she was going to start now. She closed her eyes in anger for a moment as Beckett held out an arm to keep her behind him.
"Ros, please."
"Nick."
"Let me do this."
"For crying out loud." She hissed as the door screached open.
"Let her do what?" The familiar monotone voice ripped through him like butter through a knife.
"You still haven't told us why we are here." Beckett started as Jean Daniel glared at him. He was almost bored with the couple in front of him. He cast an eye over the woman that he hated so much, he had no idea why she seemed to gain such loyalty from those around her.
"You haven't worked it out yet? You do surprise me."
"He's going to kill us." Ros stated calmly as Beckett's blood ran cold. Jean Daniel tilted his head in acknowledgement as Ros held his gaze.
"I always knew Miss Henderson was the brains of the organisation." Beckett remained silent. It was one point he couldn't argue with the man he hated so much. For a moment he wondered what had happened to Ed, Jan and Alex. He knew Ed and Jan could take care of themselves. It was Alex he worried about, she really was the baby sister he had never had.
"You're taking your time about it. I mean, how long have we been here? You have to know people will be looking for us by now."
"Yes." He smirked as Beckett talked. "Miss Henderson."
"What?" Ros snapped.
"How is the head? I believe it is only a matter of weeks since you had major brain surgery."
"It's still attached to my shoulders." She narrowed her eyes as Beckett fought the urge to smirk. It was clearly not the answer Jean Daniel had been expecting.
"Let them have their games. Let your friends look for you. Any good friends would." He held his hands together and tapped his fingers in thought. "It is almost a shame."
"What is?"
"Mr Beckett, surely you've worked it out by now? For pity's sake."
Ros closed her eyes and swore.
"We're going to die in this room."
"Correct." He held her gaze as her eyes flicked open. "When I leave here the air will be sealed off. You wont die immediately. No electronic weapon, now major poisons will be seeped into the room. What will happen is you will die slowly, starved of oxygen."
"You sick, son of a " Beckett stepped forward as Jean Daniel laughed. Ros rested a hand on Beckett's arm to stop him as Jean Daniel stepped out of the room.
"There's nothing we can do." She sighed as tears filled her voice. She wiped angrily at them as Beckett turned. The lock clanging shut felt like the hangman tightening the noose around them as he watched her turn away.
"Ros." He spoke calmly as he pulled her into his arms. "There has to be something we can do." She wrapped her arms around his waist as he held her, certain for a moment he had died and gone to Heaven.
"Nick." She sighed as he held her to him. "I."
"Shh." He kissed her hair once. "We can think of something. I mean, I know Ed is the escape artist but we can think of something."
"I just want to say sorry."
"No." He tightened his hold on her as she mumbled into his shirt. "You don't say that. You don't talk like that. If you have anything to say to me you say it when we are back in your flat. Understood."
"Nick."
"No Ros. If I have to I'll pull rank."
"Oh I'd like to see you try." She smirked as he raised an eyebrow and smiled.
"Oh I bet you would." He glanced up so that her eyes had to follow him. A shadow passed over the tiny skylight as they watched. Ros shook her head as she thought she recognised the shoes she had seen for a brief second.
"Oh my word." She bit her bottom lip as Beckett smiled.
"Ed."
"You sure?" She turned her gaze back to Beckett as he nodded.
"Oh yes. I knew they'd work it out."
"Ok, Ed is here. But now what?" Ros jumped as the sound of swearing was heard outside the room as sirens screached through the air. Seconds later the glass of the skylight fell to the floor as Beckett bundled Ros out of the way of the glass moments before it smashed on the floor. Ed's beaming face could be seen staring at them through the broken window.
"G'day." He beamed as Ros rolled her eyes.
"Ed." Ros breathed a sigh of relief as Beckett shook his head.
"You do know how to make an entrance."
"Yeah mate." Ed laughed. "It's making an exit I'm more concerned with." He lowered a rope through the window as he spoke. "We've got seconds before the alarms go off, can you get a move on?"
"Ladies first." Beckett handed Ros the rope as her eyes filled with fear. It was Beckett that was scared of heights, not her so he had no idea what she was worried about. It was when he glanced up at his friend that he realised. Ros was shot in the head when she was abseiling with Ed. When she was on the end of a rope. Oh God, Ros we need to get out of here. He held her gaze a moment too long as he closed his hand around hers.
"I'm here, Ros." He half whispered as she smiled slightly. Seconds later they were headed towards the roof.
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A/N Very short update as I have been really pushed for time. Is anyone reading this? If so, please review.