**

On the sixth Sunday Lucas took Jo to meet his sister Eve. They lived in Oxford where her boyfriend was a history lecturer at the University.

Eve turned out to be an attractive and intelligent woman in her early 30s. Like Lucas she was tall with dark hair and piercing blue eyes.

They'd taken Lucas and Jo on a tour round the city, and Eve's boyfriend Andy had explained the colourful history of the places they explored. After that they'd returned to Eve's place for lunch and passed a very pleasant two hours inside in front of the fire as the weather outside progressively deteriorated.

Lucas had managed to catch his sister in the hallway for a moment after they'd had lunch but before coffee was served and asked her what she thought of Jo.

"She's lovely," said Eve enthusiastically. "I think she'll be good for you."

To be honest she'd never really liked Elizabeta – finding her a little too cool and too foreign for her tastes, and she knew her parents had felt the same. However, she'd always made an effort to get along with her for Lucas' sake. Jo, on the other hand she found much easier to like.

Lucas smiled, pleased that Jo had won her approval, then leaned forward conspiratorially, "Tell you a secret," he said grinning, "Jo's pregnant – we're expecting a baby."

"Oh Lucas," she said smiling back at him, "that's great news – I'm so happy for you. And I'm looking forward to becoming an Aunt."

She was genuinely pleased for him. Since his return from Russia she knew things had been difficult for her brother. He'd been left isolated – his wife and friends from before he left had all moved on while he struggled to make sense of the world as it was now after eight years locked away from society. She hoped that Jo and their baby would help him to ground himself once again to help him begin to feel a part of society and give him something other than work to life for.

Lucas and Jo finally left Oxford at four and arrived back in London just after 5.30.

Once they arrived back at Jo's place she had shyly invited him inside her flat for coffee.

"What would you like to drink Lucas?" Jo asked politely.

"Coffee would be good," he said, grinning as his eyes followed her as she flitted around the kitchen.

Jo placed his cup on the table in front of him and sat down beside him clutching her own.

"You know," said Lucas smoothly, "I've decided I don't want coffee after all."

Jo looked at him, flustered, "Oh, I can get you something else if you'd like it, tea perhaps? Or a drink if you prefer?"

"No," said Lucas firmly, "I don't want a drink. I want you," he said, lifting his hand to stroke her face.

"Oh," said Jo softly.

"Yes," he replied in a low voice, then kissed her, "Oh," and kissed her again.

"Do you like the idea of that?" he asked softly.

She said nothing, but met his eyes briefly and nodded, her cheeks glowing a pretty pink.

"Gooood," said Lucas, pleased. "Then come here."

She slithered over to sit closer to him and tentatively put her arms around his neck.

Lucas slipped his hands around her body and looked into her eyes. "Have I told you how happy you make me," he breathed into her ear.

Jo shook her head. "No," and added quietly smiling, "did you know you make me happy too."

"Hmm," Lucas replied thoughtfully, "I think I know how to make you even happier." She giggled as he leant in to kiss her and then pulled her to him. She was a little surprised when after a moment he grasped her firmly about the waist and picked her up off the couch and carried her into the bedroom.

In the bedroom she felt a little self conscious and looked at Lucas apprehensively once he had stripped her bare.

He took in her newly voluptuous curves, the slight swelling of her belly, hardly noticeable to anyone but his eager eye. "I like you even better now," he said decisively, unable to draw his eyes from her, then pulled her into his arms, kissing her passionately.

**

Hmm, I think you can work out what happens from here. If you're not sure I suggest you go back and re- read the second half of chapter three. He, he.

Anyhow - we are nearing the end of the story! Only one chapter to go!!

I thought now would be a good time to add a little commentary on the story so far.

I started the story with the view that Lucas and Jo didn't really know each other much, but they do kind of have a connection in terms of experience. I could see them getting together as Lucas had recently ended it with his wife and must be lonely and Jo also needs someone – also its not like MI5 allows a lot of time to form relationships with people outside the grid.

But both of the characters seem like they just hate talking about their feelings and their experiences so having established that there's a bit of connection there I'm really not sure how they would progress it, except in the way they do – ie get a bit drunk and have a one night stand. Which is a bit problematic, especially for Jo.

After that, the idea of having Jo get pregnant seemed interesting and took the plot off in all sorts of new places. Also the thing with Spooks is that the characters are always busy saving the world instead of doing mundane things like popping off to the doctor to get the emergency contraceptive pill for example!! Ha.

So anyway, there is a bit of a theme running through the story with these 2 which is that they start off doing things in completely the wrong way (Jo even says 'we've gone about this the wrong way" to Lucas when he comes to visit) and they have to go back and restart again. I think it suits both of them perfectly as they're both a bit damaged and its not like they're going to get it right first time.

Also at the beginning they're just kind of using each other for their own purposes – Lucas cos he wants something to remind him of his wife (although later he does want Jo cos hey he is a man and men generally get distracted by women taking their clothes off), and Jo having Lucas remind her of Zaf (which she sees as kind of a missed opportunity and sore spot cos he always fancied her and she must feel rotten about turning him down when he met such a nasty end) and also just wanting someone to love her/ take care of her.

But their feelings change once they get to know each other. Hmm, I'd say you get the first glimmer of how compatible they are at the end of chapter 3 and their feelings develop slowly over time.

But also I think they recognize that they really need to try to make things work with each other as they're not really normal and it would be difficult to find someone else who could understand all their complexities and flaws etc.

So finally for the final chapter I thought I would open a readers choice voting section!!

Let me know whether you would like a boy or a girl for Lucas and Jo.

I was going to go for a girl cos I thought Lucas would love that but will go with whatever gets the most votes.

So cast your ballots via the review button and also remember to let me know what you think of the story so far. I'll be posting the final chapter in 2 days time so you only have a couple of days to vote!!

Thanks.