Bond looks around, desperate to find M again.
The silver Triumph suddenly appears and roars to meet him. M's now in jeans, boots and a black leather jacket just like his near death dream. Strapped to the back of the bike is the missing briefcase and her beach bag.
Bond smirks at her. "When did you learn how ride M?"
M tosses him a helmet and flips her middle finger up at him. Just like she did in the vivid dream he had of her saving him in that warehouse.
James would love to drive this old bike, but holding her close on the back, is the place he most wants to be at this moment. He climbs on as she guns the motor heading out of town into the hills.
Eventually she takes a side road and comes to a small cottage. She drives into the shed and turns the engine off.
They get off the bike remove their helmets. Bond grabs the bags off the back of the Triumph as he stares at her, yet saying nothing.
He can't get over it. She's lost weight, she looks younger and carefree. Away from the stress of the office, there is a smile on her lips as she waits for him to say something. Bond begins to blush of all things as he realizes that he is looking at her like a lost love. She is his lost love but she doesn't even realize it. Or does she?
Olivia tires of waiting for him to say anything, so she turns and heads into the house. Once in the small kitchen she removes her jacket as Bond tosses the bags on the table.
"The washroom is there for you to change. I will make some tea and maybe then you will find your voice. I will begin answering your multitude of questions once you clean up." M turns from him to get the kettle.
Bond rushes into the small toilet off the kitchen and quickly removes his bathing trunks and t-shirt for the jeans and jumper he has in the bottom of his bag. He uses the facilities quickly and cleans up a bit before facing her.
What is he going to say? He's so happy he could dance but he's also furious. How dare she fake her death!
M knocks on the door. "Are you alright Bond? I haven't scared the life out of you have I?" Bond can hear her laugh through the door and it stirs him...deeply.
He enters the kitchen to see her put the water into the kettle. She turns to him. "Bond? So quiet, is there something wrong? Other than coming face to face with the ghost of your old boss."
James makes his decision without speaking a word. He approaches her in a few strides and holds his hand out to her face. He cups her cheek as he stares at her in wonder. M smirks and begins to laugh again but he catches her completely off guard by kissing her so suddenly that he steals the breath from her laughter.
Bond wraps his arms around her as he pins her against the counter of her kitchen. This is no peck on the cheek...this is no hello I missed you M. This is all the passion he has ever felt for a woman in one searing kiss.
M collects herself enough to push him away. She stares at him panting to regain her breath as she moves away from him. She's incredibly shocked by what has just happened.
"007...what...it is...crazy...why?" M skirts the table to keep him across from her.
"Don't you think that, that should be my question to ask M? WHY in hell did you do it? How could you make me think I got you killed? Why in hell didn't you tell Kincade or me that you were hit!?"
M knew the anger would come out eventually but mixed with that passionate kiss this reacquaintance has become something beyond unexpected.
"James...it was my fault. And I did die...I was so cold that everything slowed down. Once in the warmth of the hospital the doctor found my slight pulse as the blood began to flow sluggishly from my wound again."
Bond begins to follow her around the table. M keeps retreating from him as if suddenly scared. "Why are you moving away? I won't hurt you."
"Well I...I don't know…why are you...what are you...why did you...kiss me like that Bond!" M stops in her tracks with an angry look on her face suddenly.
Now it's James' turn to smirk. "Why do you think I kissed you like that M?"
"Well...I...I'm sure...I don't know." M says flustered as her face turns crimson in embarrassment.
Bond has now moved back into her personal space. M looks way up at him as he turns his self assured gaze on her. Bond exudes confidence and his annoying ability to ooze charm, is flustering Olivia. She choses to stop and hold her steadfast position in her own kitchen.
"Don't you?" Bond's hand is on her shoulders making small circles on her arms. If he had come into her kitchen brandishing a gun at her, you could not have surprised her more.
"No...I...I have no bloody idea!"
"Come on M. You can do better than that. What do you deduce by my body language and that kiss?"
"I deduce that you have lost all your reason, and have a bloody cheek! That is what I deduce."
Bond pulls her against him in a sudden hug. "I missed you too M. So much you have no idea. I never got the chance to tell you...to tell you that I loved you. That I am, in love with you."
M relaxes in his grasp as she pats his back. "Oh dear boy. I did miss you too. You blamed yourself, but it was all my fault it happened to begin with."
Bond pushes her to arms length again to look at her. "I could have saved you if you had told me."
"It was easier to disappear and Mallory and the PM agreed."
"Mallory! You mean that bastard knew!"
"Yes, how else would I get my pension to live here."
"I don't care about that now...I will shoot him later. Right now I want to take you to bed."
"WHAT!"
"I told you M. I love you and I'm not leaving you again."
"And how the hell am I suddenly your conquest?"
"M you are not my conquest you are the love of my life. You conquered me long ago...M. Don't tell me you never thought about sleeping with me?"
"Of all the arrogant...annoying...disaster causing...arghh! I've firsthand knowledge of your missions 007. And I suppose I'm the damsel this time, and so now you must celebrate between the sheet! For your information Bond I saved you! And no, I do not expect sex for the help!"
"Calm down M. Sit; let's discuss this before you start to threaten me. Come let's have the tea."
Bond pulls out the chair beside his and begins to pour the tea, playing nice and calm. Olivia looks at him with some trepidation as she glares at him occasionally over the rim of her cup. Looking for any sign he is about to pounce on her and kiss her like that again. What is this game that he's playing?
"I will start with my dream...I dreamt you saved me on an old Triumph as I was dying from grief, and my injuries from Skyfall. I was in between worlds and you were saving me. Then I came crashing back to life. I wallowed for a long time. I even considered seducing your daughter just to have something of you."
"Bond! You bloody well...better not have…"
"I considered it, but a copy is not you. I wanted you. I've wanted you for years. I was ashamed to admit it for a long time. But my god M, you set my heart pounding whenever I was near you. Just like now."
"I don't know what to say...I never expected this…"
"No, I suppose not, but it's true and I want you to know that, that was the last connection to Silva I just took care of. You can come back and kick Mallory to the curb now."
"No...I'm too old for that now...for all of this." Olivia waves her hand at the air between the two of them.
"But not too old to ride around on a Triumph? Saving my ass on a beach in France, by shooting a man...come on M...you missed the thrill of the hunt. Besides how did you know I was here?"
"Mallory gives me updates and warned me you were in the area...they were getting too close."
"YOU! They were after you weren't they!"
"Yes they were, and that's why you were sent to take care of them. Yes; they were low level players but they got that information from somewhere. Hopefully, whatever is in that case can help Q find out if the trail is dead or not."
"You can't stay here any longer."
"No the movers come to pack the house tomorrow."
"Where M? Where are you going?"
"I cannot tell you that Bond."
"Like hell you can't! I am not leaving your side...I will resign...I will follow you to the ends of the earth if I have to."
"James, do be serious for a moment will you."
"I am serious M! I want you...badly. This is no romance story where I've been actively pursuing you for years. I couldn't, you were married. I really had no idea that I wanted to tear your clothes off on a conscious level until you came to the islands after me...and…then..."
"ENOUGH! Bond, do be serious for once."
"That kiss wasn't enough proof for you?"
Bond grabs her hand and brings it to his lips. "I want you. If you don't feel the same way for me...I...I don't know what I'll do. I will stay with you as your bodyguard, until we can sort this out. Can you at least tell me if we're headed back to London?"
"Yes...for a bit. James you cannot put you life on hold to wait for me to catch up to this startling revelation. Please go back to work and think about this for a moment. I am far too old for you and I will not be a plaything to your strange fantasy...for an older woman."
"M that is not what this is. I understand if you have never thought of me in that way...but really? Really? That does horrible things to my ego, if you've never thought of spanking my bare ass over my desk a few times."
"Bond!" Olivia starts to laugh at him, until tears come from her eyes. "I have had that fantasy, from time to time but I never imagined it was a kink of yours."
"What have you fantasized of concerning me M?"
"Oh you...stop...stop this and help me make dinner."
They begin to pull pasta and sauce out of the cupboards and M moves to cut mushrooms and onions. Bond finds a bottle of wine and opens it and pours two glasses while they cook and make salad.
"So you've seriously never had a fantasy where I stared as the lover M? Sorry, I keep calling you M...force of habit."
"Is it really that hard to believe Bond? "
"Yes...yes it is. I have it on very good authority that I am irresistibly handsome, and a very good lover. You really should try me out...a test run so to speak."
"Bond...sex and love are two different things. Perhaps, if and when you achieve an age beyond 21, where your sexual maturity currently lies, you will understand. You're all filled up on your own prowess and strings of meaningless women. And really? And now you turn that on me? Well, how could I possibly believe the sincerity of your professed love?"
"Teach me. You're the only one who can." Bond pulls her hand to his mouth to kiss. He looks at her with such longing that it almost breaks her heart.
Of course she's dreamed of him being her lover...she may be old but she's not dead. She refuses to give him the satisfaction of an admission. He will have to work for it...very hard.
Olivia has gone years without the physical love of a man, she's been celibate since Nigel died. There have been some limited flings offered by men and women in the hotels and pubs during her travels. They see her alone and eventually shore up enough bravery to ask. However, many of the men her age live in the fantasy that they can get a younger model. And depending on their pocketbook they can.
Waiting a while longer won't kill her, but it may drive Bond insane. Payback for all of his seductions she was forced to listen to, is beginning to sound good. What did Mallory say...she's sentimental about him...she always has been. But she never considered that he reciprocated the feelings, she'd carefully tried to hide from the world. Yes, he flirted; but she alway thought he was just trying to get a rise out of her...make her crack. She could tell he liked the way she fought back. This will be no different.
Bond sees that M's trying to work out in her stubborn head if he is sincere and if she should take a chance on him. He needs to prove this is real and he is more than willing to do that by any means necessary. Getting her to move in with him, would be first and foremost the most desired way to worm his way into her heart.
"The Triumph, where did you get it?"
"I've had that for a very long time 007 and you cannot drive it."
"But?"
"No. Nigel bought that for me ages ago to commute more efficiently to work. I didn't always have a driver you know. He thought it was sexy."
"He's not wrong."
"He rarely was."
"Luck man, your husband."
"Not really. I was the lucky one Bond. Who else would put up with a career driven wife, with little time to devote to family?"
"Still you were there sometime. In bed with him...by the fire relaxing...moments I can only dream about."
Olivia can see that he's trying desperately to get her to have sexualized thoughts about him. However, bringing up Nigel is not going to work for him.
"Bond I will have to take my time in all this...it's sudden. I will go with you to London and we will see how things progress from there."
Bond smirks at her as he brings the salad to the table and they begin to eat while the pasta boils. "M it sounds like we are dating...could it be?"
M laughs. "I think we just might. However, I am rather old fashioned so there will be waiting involved. If I know you that will be the hardest part."
"Oh...I like where this is going already M. You're thinking about it. And yes there will be an extremely hard part of me when you're around."
M swats his arm. "Bond...really...do grow up and how long do young people date now?"
"How long until what M? Sex, three dates. Moving in together, usually a year. Marriage, I would think 2-5 years of living together or earlier if there's a pregnancy."
"Three dates!"
"Yes M, and this counts as one." Bond holds up his finger dramatically.
"It only counts if I say it does 007."
"Stubborn woman! James you must call me James if we are to date and eventually marry."
"And then I suppose you should call me Olivia, but I'm not too sure about this progression to marriage. I don't think I could manage you as a husband Bond."
Bond holds his arm across the table to shake her hand. "Pleased to meet you Olivia...Mansfield. I am looking forward to taking you out on our second date tomorrow. And then again after that...and the next day and the next day after that. Oh and since your flat is gone you might as well stay, and park that Triumph in my garage. If marriage is off the table, then living in sin it will be."
Olivia begins to laugh as they finish their salads and she dishes out the pasta, while Bond pours more wine.
"Your garage eh? Will it be well protected there?"
"Yes...very protected. It will look wonderful right along side the DB5 I had restored. You know, the one that disappeared dramatically the same day as the woman I love."
"Really? You bought another one?"
"No. I had the original restored. I told you M, for me only the original old girl will do."
Olivia shakes her head but cannot contain the smile she holds just for him. It makes her face glow and a youthfulness that she never lost, shines over him. His soul is no longer cold, when he basks in the warmth of her glow.
Bond smiles a genuine and happy smile, that she has not often seen grace his features in the past. Perhaps this is the new beginning she needs. It's insane but it's her future and he's the best possible future she can imagine.
"James...I'm still not letting you drive my motorcycle."
The end.