He was about to go out and find her, wherever she was he would find her. Nothing was going to stop him. He pulled his coat back on, left his office and marched towards the pods, as he quickly glanced to make sure Ruth had not returned he stopped stock still and then he started laughing. Beth, Dimitri and Alec all paused in what they were doing.

"Harry?" said Beth, "have we missed something?"

"Oh yes, Beth we certainly have."

He shook his head and smiled some more.

It was at this moment that Ruth came through the pod doors already in the process of taking off her coat.

She looked at him smiling and nervously wondered if it was because he had found her note.

"I know who Easter Chenkovsky is," he said to everyone present, including Ruth whom he had just registered.

"Who?" said Dimitri.

He smiled.

"Who, Harry?" asked Ruth.

"Malcolm."

"I'm sorry but Easter was most definitely not Malcolm, not even in drag, not even after an operation or six." Scoffed Alec.

"It was Malcolm, he's just sent me a Christmas card hoping I liked his present, his teaser."

They still looked at him blankly.

"Teaser?" said Beth.

"Yes, teaser."

"Teaser….anagram, Easter," said Ruth.

Harry laughed.

"No, I don't believe it." Beth exclaimed.

"He set up a hell of a legend for what must have been a hell of an actress."

"But why, I don't get it." Dimitri was still confused.

"He wanted us to face up to our feelings," Ruth said not daring to look at Harry.

"What did he hope to gain from that?" asked Dimitri, still thinking about what he had told this mystery woman controlled by Malcolm.

"He wished to give us the best Christmas present, the only thing we ever wanted," said Harry.

"Well, I don't think he came any where near to achieving that" DImitri was distinctly unconvinced, though Beth and Alec were beginning to see the point.

"Oh I think he did," said Harry and he very slowly and very deliberately started walking towards Ruth, she resisted every urge she had to run and hide. He stepped close, close, very close to her and put his right hand to the back of her neck and pulled her face to his and met her lips and kissed her for all the world as though it was the last kiss any two human beings might share before the world was due to end. The Grid stopped breathing en masse.

He slowly released his hold on her but kept her face close and his eyes focused on her, such that she would not dare look away.

"Ruth, I love you. Don't be afraid. You'll be happy. I promise you, I will make you happy. Marry me, Ruth. Marry me and I'll make you happy. I swear. I swear by Malcolm, I swear by Easter Chenkovsky. I swear on my life you won't regret it, Ruth. Just say yes, please just say yes."

He looked at her startled face and hoped.

Beth, Dimitri and Alec looked and hoped.

Tariq came in and realised he'd missed something important, he didn't know what but he looked at them all and for some reason he felt himself hope.

"Ruth?" whispered Harry.

She said nothing.

Time stood still.

"Ruth, please."

"Yes, Harry, yes, a thousand times yes."

He kissed her and she knew he was telling the truth and she thanked Easter and she thanked Malcolm and she no longer regretted herself and she no longer felt afraid to be happy.

Pos epilogue to come if I can think of something funny and worth it. Hope you've generally enjoyed.