A/N: Once again, I must apologise for the delay (and for the fact that this is quite short; nothing more than a drabble really). I had lost my muse until quite recently and only now have I found the time to put anything down on paper. Sorry. But thank you for being so patient with me!

Offer Me: a story where one character makes another an offer

Harry looked at the documents that had been sent up by Section X; the section that were responsible for monitoring the actions of MI-5 agents. Ruth's internet usage on the Grid had been flagged up. He had to speak to her, but it wasn't a conversation he was looking forward to.

He picked up his phone and dialled her extension. She picked up after two rings. "Ruth, could you come in here for a moment please?"

She was at his door in less than a minute.

"Ruth," he began nervously, "I'm sorry to have torn you away from your analysis of the Bergman files, but I need to speak to you about something..."

"Of course Harry. What can I do for you?"

"Well, it's a little delicate..." he tapped his fingers on the file in front of him. "I'm afraid that your internet activity at work is raising eyebrows amongst Section X."

A look of confusion passed over Ruth's face before realisation fell and she blushed profusely. "Oh God!"

"Yes, I have to admit I was quite surprised."

"You've looked at the websites?"

"As Section Head it is my job to be appraised of and review all reports made by Section X on members of my team."

"I'm sorry Harry. It won't happen again. The only reason even I used my station was because my internet at home was down. I was moving from BT to Virgin Media but they messed me about and I was without a connection for 3 days and-"

"I understand that the life of a spy can be lonely but surely there must be a better way than this," he gestured to the file in front of him."

"Harry..." she began but he cut her off once more. He'd been practising this part of his speech since deciding to make it so he wasn't going to stop now.

"I mean, it's so impersonal. Surely it would be better to do something like this with someone you know. If you don't have anyone then I could help. I mean-"

Ruth put her hand up to stop him. "Harry!"

"Sorry. I shouldn't have... That was inappropriate. Sorry. If you want to file a complaint with HR thenI understand. And of course if you want a baby, then the service will support you as best it can."

"I'm flattered that you'd offer to help Harry, but I don't want a baby."

"But the websites were for fertility clinics and sperm donors..."

"For my friend Anna. She wants a baby but is single so is looking into IVF using a donor. She asked my opinion on a few clinics and possible... candidates."

"And because you didn't have internet you used your computer here because you didn't want to keep her waiting."

"Exactly. She was eager to get started."

"So you don't want a baby?" he clarified.

"Not at the moment, no. I might in a few years though. Will the offer to help still be open then?" she replied teasingly, but secretly hoping that the fact that he had offered meant that he had feelings for her.

"Of course," he answered without missing a beat, "but how about I take you for dinner first?"

"That sounds... lovely."

"Tonight?"

"I'll get my coat," she smiled, thinking she must find a way to thank Anna for this unexpected, but not unwelcome, development.