Thanks for all your reviews - here's the epilogue.
"The HS is on his way."
"What?"
"He wants to see you. Something to do with the Chinese."
"What?!"
"Have I just woken you?"
"No, Adam," Harry snapped, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Right. Well, he'll be in your office in about half an hour."
"Fine."
The phone was on the way down to the receiver when he heard Adam say something else.
"What was that?"
"He's asked for Ruth, too."
The phone went dead.
A tousled, sleepy Ruth looked up at him.
Beside her on the bedside table her mobile rang.
A frenzied ten minutes later and they were in the car speeding towards Thames House.
"I thought the meeting with the Chinese was a lie?"
"It was."
"Well, now it isn't."
"No."
"Oh, surely you don't need me, Harry. Why can't I just go home and change?"
"You heard Adam."
"Tell them I'm ill."
"Ruth, it's not that bad."
"I'm in the same clothes…again!"
"Yes, but this time it's for good reason," he looked at her as the lights turned to red and smiled.
"Stop smiling."
His smile got wider.
"I can't."
"Harry!"
"How do you feel, Ruth?"
"Horrified!" she shouted.
"How did you feel before the phone rang?"
"What?"
"You heard me."
"Tired," she muttered. He waited until she glanced up at him and the smile he rewarded her with was enough for her irritation and panic to subside somewhat.
"And…?" he purred.
"And…" She had got lost in those eyes again.
"Happy?" he asked.
"Very…" and it was her who couldn't hide the smile, "Now hurry up or it'll look even more obvious."
They walked onto the grid separately. Harry went first.
Adam nodded towards the office, the HS was already waiting. Harry heard the pod doors open and knew it was Ruth. He saw the glance from Adam and from Zaf, saw their recognition that she was in the same clothes as the day before.
Harry waited until Ruth had passed by to collect her notes from her desk. He leant in close to Adam.
"One word to Ruth, from anyone and you will all wish you had never joined the service."
He stared at Adam, waiting for the acknowledgment.
"Am I clear?"
Adam nodded.
By mid morning the HS finally left. Ruth did not seem to want to follow.
"As much as I'd love you to, you can't stay in my office all day, Ruth."
She looked out hesitantly.
"Do you think they noticed?"
"No, I don't think so."
"But if they're talking about us…"
He stood in front of her.
"They're not talking about us, Ruth," his hand brushed her hip in a singularly sensual gesture, "though I would dearly love to give them something to talk about."
She scowled at him with an irritation she simply didn't feel.
"Now, go on, get out there. It'll be fine, I'm sure."
And out she went.
No one said anything unusual, no one grinned, nor smirked, nor winked, nor showed any sign whatsoever that anything was other than a normal day.
But Ruth felt uneasy.
This didn't feel right. In fact she began to wonder if she'd feel better if they did say something.
And all the time there was him, in his office, eyes boring into her. She could smell him on her clothes, she could still hear his voice whispering in her ear, she could still feel him inside her.
All was fine until lunchtime when Ros emerged from the pods.
Adam, who was standing with Harry, hurriedly made his way towards her but he never made it in time.
"Same clothes again, Ruth. Which bus station was it this time?"
The grid went into lockdown.
Everyone froze.
Harry was the only one who seemed to drag himself from the tidal wave of shock. He stepped forward to steer Ros into some far flung corner and detail the end of her career. But he never reached her either.
"I spent the night at Harry's," said Ruth.
Harry stared wide eyed. Zaf choked on his coffee. Malcolm smiled.
"Right," said Ros, unusually reticent.
"Right," nodded Adam.
Ruth picked up her coat and bag, "Shall I get you a sandwich?" she asked Harry as she made her way out.
"Yes…thanks," said Harry.
He turned to look at the startled, upturned faces of his team and with a small, self satisfied smile he followed Ruth off the grid and into the pods.