Join Me: a fic about one character making another an offer

Harry sat down on his sofa with a sigh, glad to have a few hours respite from the grid. This had been the week from hell. As well as dealing with the fallout from Havensworth, he'd had to cope with Ros treating him like a pariah after she'd found out about her father's prison sentence and on top of all that Ruth had been avoiding him like the plague. He needed a drink.

As he approached the decanter that sat on the sideboard, he noticed a piece of paper lying underneath it, bearing his name. He thought back to when he'd entered the house, the security system hadn't been tripped so he wondered how someone had managed to get it in.

He picked it up and examined it; he didn't recognise the writing. Slowly, he unfolded it and read the four words.

Catch Restaurant. 8pm tonight.

He stared at the note. That was the restaurant where he and Ruth had dined on their date the previous week. Who on earth could want to see him there? I couldn't be Ruth; she'd made it perfectly clear that she didn't want a second date with him, because of the gossip they would face at work. So who could it be?

He looked at his watch, he wouldn't have to wait long to find out. Curiosity piqued, ran upstairs to change, before heading out to the restaurant.

Harry entered the restaurant and approached the maître d'. "I'm meeting someone, but I'm afraid I don't know their name." It sounded insane to him, but the maître d' seemed to understand.

"Are you Mr Pearce?" he asked.

"Yes, that's me."

"This way please sir, your dining companion has already arrived."

They rounded the corner and Harry stopped in his tracks as he saw who was sat at the table.

"Hi Harry."

"Ruth? I don't understand... I thought you said-"

Ruth dismissed the maître d' and gestured for Harry to take the empty chair opposite her. "Join me?"

He did as she bade and Ruth poured him a glass of wine. He noticed it was white burgundy but didn't comment. He couldn't; it was like he was in some sort of weird Groundhog Day-esque scenario that his brain couldn't process. He lifted the glass to his lips and took several sips. Ruth hadn't spoken and he was impatient to find out what was going on.

"Why am I here Ruth?

"I... I wanted to apologise. For the way things have been between us lately."

"You've been avoiding me. Why?"

"I had some things I needed to process," she admitted.

"Things involving me?"

Ruth nodded. "I kept questioning my reasoning for turning you down. I could see how much it was hurting you and whenever I was alone with you I wanted to take it all back. I didn't know if that was just a reaction to seeing you hurt or whether I really thought I'd made the wrong decision."

"And you've brought me here to tell me your decision," he surmised. "To tell me that you were right all along and were just feeling sorry for me."

"Do you really think me that heartless Harry?" she asked

"I don't know what to think anymore. Can we drop the veil and speak plainly."

Ruth nodded. "What I'm saying Harry is I was wrong to turn you down. I was taken aback by the level of interest in our relationship from our colleagues and it unnerved me. But I should have spoken to you about it, not run from you. This, tonight, is my way of asking if we can make a fresh start."

"People will talk," Harry said.

"So what? I've come to realise that they'll talk no-matter what we do." She laid her hand out on the table, urging him to take it. "Join me Harry," she said once more.

Harry knew that this time she wasn't referring to a table in a restaurant, but to their relationship; their future; together. And he had no qualms about taking her hand and joining her wherever she wanted to go.