Legs

Ruth stared at her feet, willing them to move. Narrowing her eyes she focused on the big toe of her left foot.

"Move. Damn it."

"Ruth, these things take time." The far too cheerful blonde man stated. "Spinal shock occurs following a spinal cord injury. Luckily your vertebrae below the waist were fractured, only severing part of the cord. If it had been complete."

"I know." Ruth snapped. "Sorry, it's just I want to go home. I've got two children at home, my stepdaughter has already postponed her wedding. My stepson, well I don't really know what he's up to. So you see? I don't have time for this. I have to be up and running soon."

"I understand."

"No. I know you're only doing your job, trying to help but your legs work." Ruth shrugged.

"You had iv steroids in the first hour after the incident. The doctor explained they reduce swelling. That's why you should be able to restore function. It's just a very long process."

Ruth nodded, she knew there was no point in arguing. "How long until I can go home?"

"It's less than a week. Don't rush yourself." Ruth glared at her feet, praying that some movement would return and knowing she'd be lucky if she did.

Xxxx

"What's he doing here?" Ros snapped as Harry marched into the Grid with Graham.

"He's with me." Harry stated calmly.

"I meant you." Ros frowned. "But now you mention it, he isn't your usual sidekick."

"Rosalind, tell me something uplifting before I consider posting you to Serbia."

"You did that once, I'm the bad penny remember? I keep coming back. What do you know about a man called Moran?"

"He tried to kill Adam and Ruth. Ten years or so ago. He did kill an extremely experienced sleeper agent, May."

"Aka Auntie." Zaf appeared. "Gray?"

"I'm being set up. Someone out there knows my history and planted drugs on me." Graham stated. Zaf nodded, unsure whether to believe the younger man.

"First Ruth, now Graham." Ros raised an eyebrow. "Harry, what was the British Way trying to do?"

"Remove any trace of a non- English born population. They weren't fussed on the rest of the UK, just wanted to keep England English. Vile, pathetic group of racist, homophobes with delusions of grandeur." Harry ran a hand over his face.

"You look knackered." Alec stated as he joined them. "If Ruth wasn't in hospital I'd be worried." Harry raised an eyebrow and said nothing.

"So who's Moran?" Graham asked. Ros rolled her eyes.

"He's the something I told you about. He's been in prison. Lot of time to dwell and plot." Harry frowned. "Any other of our old friends out of prison?"

"Not that I know of." Ros stared at him. "Zoe is going through records now."

"Graham." Malcolm walked towards them as his godson looked up.

"Uncle Malcolm." He looked up.

"The drugs were planted on you in West Brook Road. You were jogging there last evening."

"Yeah."

"Stopped to tie your shoe?"

"I suppose I did."

"Young man, similar age to you can be seen jogging near you. He seems to have planted the substance on you when you weren't looking."

"I'm an idiot."

"We established that." Ros glared. Zaf raised an eyebrow.

"Dad, there was this bloke. Bumped into me when I was out running. I didn't think anything of it. It had to be then." Harry nodded.

"I'll have Calum run a facial recon on him. See if he's in the databases. If this is personal."

"Then anyone who worked on that op is a potential target. Zaf, Adam, Malcolm, Ruth." Ros folded her arms. "Harry, these thugs had political clout. The bomb may have been a warning."

"A warning?" Zaf looked up.

"Yeah - that they can still attack. Ruth may have been watched. That boy may have been waiting for her."

"With the baby? With Squeak?"

Graham looked horrified. "Come after me and Cath. We're adults. Gracie isn't two yet. How?"

"Because, son there are some extremely sick little minds out there." Harry answered.

"Go back to the hospital. Warn Ruth, have security increased there." Ros watched. Harry closed his eyes for a moment before leaving the Grid; knowing Ros was right.

Xxxxxx

"Oh my God." Ruth tapped the screen on the small tablet. The image changed as she focused her attention on the image on the screen. "How?" She tapped the screen again, pulling up prison records she shouldn't have access to. The atmosphere in the room changed, Ruth slowed her breathing. She could sense someone behind her but knew it wasn't Harry or her stepdaughter. She froze as she felt a hand grab her hair. Pulling her head back sharply she managed to throw the tablet across the room.

"No tree branches to hand now, is there luv." A distinctly emotionless voice hissed in her ear. Ruth stayed silent, one hand curling around the wire that ran from the IVI to her left hand. The fluid continued to drip into her veins slowly as Ruth cursed her inability to move. Suddenly she was as if she was back in the forest, terrified and angry. She forced the fear down into the put of her stomach as she felt Moran's rancid breath on her neck.

"Told you I'm a man of my word." He hissed at her. "Told you I'd come back, finish the job."

"If I had a £5 note for every time I'd heard that." Ruth hoped her voice sounded as strong as possible. "Moran. You were a bully then and you're not much more now."

"We'll see, darling. We'll see." He pushed her head sharply away from him. "Get up."

"I'd love to."

"Move."

"No chance." She narrowed her eyes. "You want me to move you'll have to move me. Your bomb broke my back." He held the gun to Ruth's head as she glared.

Xxxxxxx

"Dad." Catherine hissed as she felt two strong arms lift her up. "I tried, I'm."

"Are you ok?" Harry looked at his oldest child. Catherine felt her head gingerly.

"I think I got lucky." She looked up to see Zaf staring at her. "Ruth, get to Ruth." She struggled to her feet as Zaf turned, running past nurses and doctors as he tried to get to his friend. Harry glanced at Catherine.

"Dad, go. Please." She sat down as a nurse rushed to her. Harry nodded before running after Zaf.

Xxxxxx

"Didn't take long to work out it was you behind the bomb. Thirty people." Ruth hissed as he pulled the bed sheet away from her legs. "Told you. They're useless."

"Thirty people. None of em belong in this country."

"That's not your choice. You."

"England for the English." He hissed in her face. Ruth tugged sharply on the iv in her hand, bringing the iv line and drip stand hurtling towards him.

"Scum." Ruth muttered as both she and Moran fought for control of the gun. Raised voices outside the room, a woman screaming startled him. A punch to the side of her head knocked her off the bed as Zaf hurtled into the room.

"RUTH!" Zaf ignored the man who barrelled past him, his eyes firmly on the brunette on the floor. "No, not like this." He jumped as the sounds of gun fire caught his attention.

"Argh." Ruth opened her eyes as Zaf knelt next to her. Blood oozed from her eyebrow. Harry stepped into the room as Ruth struggled to sit up. Zaf moved aside as Harry picked her up.

"Get a doctor."

"Harry." Ruth shook as Zaf ran from the room, almost falling over the dead body of the police guard.

"We need a doctor." Zaf stated as he watched a young woman cover the second guard with blankets before shaking her head. "Ruth Pearce. She's still alive. Head wound I think." The curly haired woman looked up before silently following Zaf.

"Ruth." Harry watched as she shook. It was clear she was terrified but trying not to show it. The dislodged cannula in her hand bled but she couldn't bring herself to care.

"I have to get out of here."

"See the doctor."

" Harry, he's coming after us. On the Grid. At home I'm safe. Not here. Towers has been visiting him. For months."

"We'll make sure you're safe." Harry held her gaze. "I promise."

Xxxxxxxc

A/N more soon. Please review