Edith had been waiting in the Foreign Office ante-chamber for nearly half an hour after her interview. Dennison had brought her a cup of tea and a plate of sandwiches which were not the sort of food that she had expected to eat tonight, but they were perfectly acceptable and she ate them gratefully. She wondered whether she should leave some for Anthony or whether they'd allowed him to eat his in the interview.

Her interview had been an ordeal, but strangely not as bad as when she had to tell it to Charlie Carson. Then, it had all been very recent and, crucially, she hadn't known what had happened to Anthony. Her body had been a tight knot of worry; she had only just been capable of relating events without breaking down. This time she was able to describe the story of her capture and rescue with more detachment. Also it was coloured with a fierce pride in Major Sir Anthony Strallan and his bravery. The FO civil servants asked a lot more detailed questions than Charlie had, but in an odd way that too was helpful. It helped her separate the facts from her fears and feelings. Another difference was that this time, she had Anthony with her, not quite physically, perhaps, but not far away and certainly with her in spirit. She was as sure as any human could be of another that he would be on her side, would love and support and protect her. That was what really made it feel different. She could feel what it would be like when one day she would be able to think back on what happened in the desert without it overwhelming her.

But right now, although she had held her own until this point, she had reached her limit. She needed Anthony with her, and the longer they kept him the more the anxiety grew.

"Why have they interviewed him for so much longer than me? I was the one who was kidnapped!"

Dennison turned towards her. He seemed to have been asking himself the same thing, but he endeavoured to answer professionally.

"I believe it's because he is a trained intelligence officer, and precisely because he wasn't the one kidnapped. He could be expected to keep his head, observe more, recall more, and draw useful conclusions."

Edith made a doubting face but said nothing.

"But between ourselves, I have never known them to keep anyone in there this long. It could be because of the unusual circumstances...him not being army or government agent when he rescued you." He cast a worried look along the corridor. "I just hope he's alright" he added.

Edith was about to ask more about how Dennison knew Anthony when a door opened and the man himself walked out followed by two civil servants. She walked quickly to him.

"How'd it go?" She noticed blood on the right side of his shirt.

"Fine, fine. Let's go back to the hotel, shall we, if that's alright with you?"

Edith wasn't the only one to see that Anthony wasn't quite right. Dennison came close enough so he could whisper discreetly "Do you need a doctor, old boy?"

"I'll call out the hotel quack. Get my money's worth, you know?" Anthony tried to smile at him but it turned into a grimace.

One of the interviewers drew Dennison to one side, passed him some papers, and said a few words to him in a quiet voice. Dennison nodded, and then politely led the way out to the waiting car.

Edith wasn't sure what to say on the journey back to Claridges. She just wanted to be with Anthony and hug him. She wanted to know what had happened in there, and to comfort him just as much as she wanted his comfort. As they were not alone she contented herself with putting her arm through his. Anthony looked at her in an odd way, then smiled at her.

"I must apologise for that, Anthony. I didn't know they were going to put you through the third degree tonight" said Dennison looking out of the window in embarrassment.

"You would not have been able to do anything about it if you had, so please don't worry. At least it's over now and I've done my duty" Anthony replied.

"You owed them no duty! They invalided you, remember? But you showed them that you are still one of the finest intelligence officers they ever had. You know, if you wanted to, I could make a few introductions...MI5 or MI6? They'd have you in a heartbeat, and pay you too which is more than can be said for the TA."

"Thank you, John. I'll think about it."

They were drawing up outside of Claridges. Dennison got out first to check for journalists, then stepped inside with them for a moment.

"Here are the papers and details. Please accept it, Anthony. I've never known anyone who deserves it more. Call me when you're back at Locksley."

He gave Anthony the sheaf he'd been given at the Foreign Office, then he was gone. They found a lift and got in.

"I'm whacked!" said Anthony.

"No wonder, it's past eleven" said Edith. "We woke at six this morning after a disturbed night, then we travelled across a quarter of the globe before tackling the British press machine and the FO. All in a day's work for you, I believe."

Anthony smiled at her, a genuine grin this time.

"I was going to suggest that you call your family tonight before this happened. It's too late now. Perhaps tomorrow morning?"

"If I must" she conceded.

"Better that you call them if not calling would give them more reason to be disappointed. I'll be with you, if...that is, if you want me?"

"I do! I really do!"

They had arrived at their room and entered. Edith sat on the bed, wondering idly if she had the energy to undress before falling asleep. She was more interested in watching her fiancé as he began getting ready for bed. He was expert at pulling the shirt over his head with one arm, but the action made him wince. A glance at his side revealed the cause of the pain.

"Anthony! You really need to see a doctor. One of your wounds has opened."

Anthony inspected his side.

"It's stopped bleeding. Could you look and see if the stitches are okay, please?"

Edith leaned toward him.

"I can't see anything for dried blood. Would you let me clean it up?"

"I'd be grateful if you did, and I have a spare dressing that Dr Clarkson gave me which will help."

"Honestly, Dr Clarkson is a marvel."

"Certainly he's a very good doctor and an astute diplomat" Anthony agreed.

"He's wasted out in that wilderness, as are Charlie and Elsie" said Edith as she returned from the bathroom with a warm, damp cloth and began gently wiping the blood away.

"Ah, the Diplomatic has a fine tradition of sending anyone with a brain somewhere obscure where thinking for themselves can't do any harm." Edith looked up at his uncharacteristic cynicism, but smiled back at him as she returned to tending to his side. She tentatively put her other hand on his bare rib cage to steady the skin. It was firm and masculine. She could feel his breathing. Her hands ached to go further south. Glancing up she was stunned to see Anthony watching her with a predator's hooded eyes and undisguised lust, that was until he saw her look at him, and he looked away. Her heart flipped; she became flustered. Did he want to...she wanted it so badly but...

She gave a cough. He cleared his throat.

"Your stitches look okay, and you're right: the bleeding has stopped, so I think you'll live if we just change the dressing and do without the doctor."

"Good. That's good. Um, thank you."

She looked around for Anthony's bag to find the fresh dressing, and then applied it as gently as she could. He still flinched.

"It's going to take forever for those holes to heal, dammit!" he cursed.

"And the broken rib. Don't forget the broken rib" she added.

"So much for what Mrs Carson called 'strenuous physical activity'! I'm sorry, my sweet one, you really haven't got a good deal in me."

"Don't even go there. Do you know what got me through that interview? The knowledge that you were there for me. You, Anthony. You are the source of my courage. I care about your healing. I don't care about whether you can make love to me tonight, or for the next few weeks. I just want you well and...and..."

Anthony put his arm around her.

"I haven't even asked how your interview went. I'm sorry. I seem to be falling apart at the seams." He kissed her hair as she cuddled close to him.

"It was alright. As I said, it was bearable because I knew you were there, going through the same, and supporting me. I can't explain it any better than that."

"Thank you, my darling. Thank you for letting me be the one you want, the one you rely on. I won't always get it right, like tonight, but I will always try."

He pressed a kiss to her lips, then said "Shall we go to bed?"

She smiled and nodded. "You have the bathroom first."

He kissed her again and retreated.

She sighed. Anthony had such an amazing ability to calm her, even when he was accusing himself of letting her down. She sat on a chair to take her shoes off, and was brought face to face with the papers Dennison had given him in the hotel foyer. She couldn't stop herself reading the first few lines.

"Oh my god!"

I think that the next chapter will be the last one (if Anthony and Edith will allow it, they seem to have run away with this one).

Thank you all so much for your lovely comments. It makes it all so much more fun!