Disclaimer - still not mine

Safe as Houses?

Zaf stared out across the London skyline. He was still angry but mostly with himself. He had known Lisa for years but had never expected her to come to any harm. He closed his eyes as he lay against the wall opposite the railings. He slumped against the wall so that he was sitting with his knees curled up against him. He felt sick at the thought of little Connor growing up without his parents. He knew what it was like to be separated from his family. It had hurt but at least he had been an adult. Connor was five years old and had no way of getting his parents back.

The wind began to whip around him as he felt a familiar presence against his side. He was sure he could smell Jo's perfume again. Once again he was sure he was going insane. Jo always seemed to turn up when he was upset or stressed.

"Zoe was right. It is not your fault" The blonde smiled as Zaf's jaw hung open.

"Jo" he whispered as she nodded.

"Yes, still dead" He watched as she smiled "Think of me as Section D's very own Guardian Angel" He could feel her presence next to him as she spoke. It was almost as if she really was back.

"God I hate this" he sighed, running a hand over his face. He missed Jo. He always had.

"No you don't. You love this job. You love Zoe too" Zaf chocked back a tear "It's ok. She's nice. I would have liked her." Jo shrugged her shoulders as Zaf rubbed his eyes angrily with the back of his hand.

"Trouble is coming Zaf. That's all I know. But you and Zoe" Jo smiled "Not that you need my blessing. But you should go for it" Zaf watched as Jo stood up.

"Trouble" He knew that was always headed their way. The spring sunshine gave way to cloud as he rubbed his eyes.

"Yeah, be careful. Zoe and Emma need you. It was my time. It isn't yours." He opened his eyes aware that Jo would be gone when he did.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I am not going to a safe house" Ruth walked across the Grid as Ros watched. The blonde knew exactly why Ruth hated them so much. Right now she didn't care. Ruth and Harry were going to a safe house. Andrew Lawrence was too. Whether they liked it or not.

"You have a professional hit man with a grudge after you" Ros folded her arms.

"I am well aware of that thanks Ros" Ruth reached her desk as Harry emerged from the office. He could see the two women arguing about something. He believed he could guess what. Harry sighed; he hated the idea as much as Ruth but decided it was probably safer than the alternative. He had also insisted that Andrew Lawrence was looked after in a separate safe house and that they only used MI 5. He had a bad feeling about the MI 6 safe houses.

Ruth slumped in her chair as she noticed Adam and Zoe watching them. She suddenly felt ungrateful. After all the team were only trying to help her. Sighing heavily she looked at Adam as Lucas crossed the room to speak to Malcolm. He seemed slightly happier than earlier as he ate the donut he had found in the kitchenette. Ruth looked dejected, she knew she had lost the argument when Malcolm hadn't stuck up for her, he always kept his own counsel when he believed she was wrong.

"Surely I'd be more use here? How can I be any use if I'm stuck in a safe house God knows where?" Adam shrugged.

"Look Ruth" He looked towards Ros, aware that she was glaring at him. "I agree we need you working on this. We need you alive too. So you and Harry go in one of our safe houses. Ros can easily run things here, we have email too. Look, just give it a go. If it still isn't safe or if you aren't happy then come back and we'll just have to wing it" He watched as Ruth nodded slightly. She still wasn't happy about it but knew that she really didn't have much of a choice. At least it meant she would have some time alone with her husband, just not in the way they had planned.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zoe had given up looking for needles in haystacks. She had got precisely no where with the work Harry had given to her. She knew Malcolm had made slightly more progress but with Ruth and Ros arguing on the Grid she had decided to look for Zaf. She knew he had headed off towards the rooftop a little while ago and had decided to follow him. Looking through the doorway of what was essentially a fire escape she saw him sat a few feet away from her. He looked like he had been quiet. Zoe walked towards him as he turned.

"Hi" She smiled shyly. She'd been friends with Zaf from the moment they had met. She knew if it wasn't for him there was a very good chance her and Emma would still be in Chile with Will, trying to avoid his tempers. She had never thought she could just leave until that day when Zaf had turned up and made her realise there was a better life out there, her old one. He looked up as she spoke and returned her smile.

"Sorry" He looked sheepish

"What for?" Zoe walked to him, resting a hand on his shoulder she sighed as he pulled her to him.

"Snapping at you and Adam. I didn't mean to. It's just" Zoe pulled back as he spoke. She ran her hands along each side of his face resting her forehead against his as a tear escaped from his eye.

"It's ok." She kissed him on the lips "But I was right. It is not your fault. It's Frankie's fault." He nodded as she swiped his tear away with her thumb. She kissed his lips as he tightened his hold on her waist. She hoped she was getting through to him.

"I have some bad news though" Zaf's eyes were open in an instant as she smiled.

"Ros has volunteered you and me to baby sit Andrew Lawrence tonight. In the Fenchurch Safe House" She smiled as Zaf groaned.

"Today just gets better and better" He whined as Zoe raised her eyebrows. He turned his charm smile on as he took her hand and began to lead her back to the Grid. He turned slightly as just for a moment he was certain he saw a certain blonde in the corner of his eye. She was stood with her back against the railings as he smiled. He couldn't help but whisper.

"Thanks Jo" before following Zoe back to the Grid.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Fenchurch Safe House was basic. Andrew Lawrence looked around the sitting room as Zoe spoke on her mobile. Zaf was checking the house for any unseen risks as Zoe spoke to Adam on the phone. For once he had been pleased that his leg was still in plaster and he was confined to the Grid for at least another 24 hours. He was sat with his foot perched on Ruth's desk as Zoe ran him through the set up.

"So, you stay there until 8am. Then Tariq and Lucas will be there until 4. Then we have Malcolm and Ros" He laughed as he imagined how pleased Malcolm would be with the plan.

"Malcolm is a desk officer" Zoe turned so that Andrew couldn't see her talking.

"Needs must. Look I get this cast off tomorrow. Then I'm to be there. I'll take Malcolm's place on the rota. Ros could handle it alone but the idea of this is to stop Andrew Lawrence getting killed" Zoe rolled her eyes as he spoke. It was no secret that Andrew and Ros were no longer friends although Zoe had heard rumours that things used to be different. She turned to Andrew wondering exactly how different things had been.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth was not happy. Everyone knew her feelings regarding protective custody and safe houses. She hated them, believing the phrase safe house was a contradiction in terms. It had been agreed that her and Harry would be ok without the team around them. At the time she had been grateful that it seemed the main focus was on Andrew but now that she was here she just hoped they hadn't been too arrogant in assuming they could care for their own safety as long as they were away from home.

"Ruth, will you stop worrying" Harry crossed the small room to her. She sighed as he ran his hand along her arm.

"I can't help but think this is unnecessary" She had assumed they would be kept near the Grid. The fact they were now stuck in a flat above a hard wear shop in the East End of London made her feel even more isolated.

"Ruth" Harry sighed. "We have internet, we still have our phones. We can reach Ros and the others at any time". His voice giving away his Yorkshire roots illustrating how tired he was. Ruth nodded. They were both still working on the case, even though they were technically in hiding. She just hoped it was only for a few days.

"I know Harry. I know" She didn't mean to sound harsh. It wasn't Frankie's fault that they were there. It was her own fault as far as she was concerned and she hated the fact Harry was now a target because of it.

"Catherine has Scarlet and the cats. Graham is away for a few days. I think we are perfectly safe here" Harry ran his hand through her hair as she nodded. She stifled a yawn, not realising how tired she was.

"Keeping you awake Ruth?" He laughed lightly as he saw her nod again. He knew she was only half listening. At least half of her attention had been on working out how to get out of the flat quickly if they needed to. He knew she was analysing everything she could think of from the moment they had closed the old fashioned wooden door.

"Bed" He stated as she pulled away from him slightly "You need to sleep Ruth." She raised her eyebrows as he shook his head. "God woman and you say I'm incorrigible!" He laughed as she shook her head and walked to the bedroom door.

"Harry" She paused in the door way as he undid the button at his collar. He smiled back.

"I'm coming" he smiled as he followed her.

author's note. This is just a filler chapter. Hope it wasnt too AU with Jo being there. Liked the idea of her keeping tabs on the team and only one or two of them being able to see her. Are Ruth and Harry safe? Will they get any closer to finding Frankie and Hans Linnerman? What about Ros having to spend time with Andrew? More soon, let me know what you think.