Disclaimer not mine
Safety First?
"Ruth." The doctor frowned slightly. "I really think you should stay here. You're doing very well with your physio."
"I can't be doing that well." Ruth raised her eyes to meet his. "My legs are still useless. I have no feeling below my hips."
"Ruth, you may feel that you don't. But you do." The nurse next to him smiled slightly. Ruth blushed furiously as she realised what the nurse was referring to. Harry squeezed her hand. "You haven't needed a catheter since you came out of your coma. You clearly have feeling where that is concerned."
"So? I'm lucky I'm not incontinent?" Ruth raised an eyebrow."
"Yes." The doctor answered sharply. "Very lucky. Neither have you developed Corda Equina. I'd say apart from all the drama here earlier today you are very lucky."
"Two men were killed and my stepdaughter has been beaten up. Not the best day in the world." She glanced at Harry as he looked directly at the doctor.
"I think what we want to know is, has today's attack lead to a decline in Ruth's chances of getting function back in her legs." Harry watched the man tug on his bow tie.
"In all honesty. We don't know."
"Then I suggest we find out." Ruth took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I know its not your fault but like I told the physio earlier I need to be back to normal. It isn't an option for me not to be."
"Then I suggest you stay here and let us help you." The doctor turned sharply. The nurse shook her head.
"He knows his stuff." The nurse bit her lip. Harry nodded. He could see the young woman had been trying her best. Ruth smiled slightly.
"I know. It's just."
"Frustrating? Frightening?"
"Yeah." Ruth glanced at Harry. The nurse nodded as she picked up her chart and left the room, aware that at that moment her presence wasn't needed.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Moran." Adam narrowed his eyes. "Made my skin crawl all those years ago. Fiona and Ruth worked a blinder undercover."
"Fiona?" Beth asked. "Your first wife."
"Yeah." Adam smiled slightly. "She was in 6 but transferred to Section D after Zoe went away. Frankly we needed her." He paused as he thought of the pretty brunette he had met in Syria. "She went undercover in Whitehall, went after Sampson. Zaf generally made a nuisance of himself."
"Oh yes." Zaf smiled.
"Nothing changes there, then." Ros raised an eyebrow as Zaf clutched his chest, pretending to be wounded.
"You wound me, Ros."
"Don't tempt me."
"Being annoying is just one of my many talents." Zaf beamed happily. "I had his front door painted. Turned up and told him he wasn't allowed to paint the door as it was a listed area."
"And that achieved?" Beth folded her arms.
"Brought his true colours out for all to see. I think the phrase he used was 'annoying little Asian.' Well, if he wanted to be annoyed, I'm your man. Bigoted creep." Zaf narrowed his eyes as Tariq swore.
"Welcome to the 21st century. This is what we are dealing with?"
"So it seems." Ros began pacing. "The political landscape has changed. In so much as people are taking notice of extremists like that. You've all seen the news, the papers. Nine years ago these idiots tried to create a platform but now its there, ready for them to jump onto."
"What now?" Zoe crossed the room to them. "Ruth is in hospital. Adam, Zaf and Malcolm are all reasonable targets. If Erin is right and Towers is involved then we are all on the radar."
"He's involved." Erin nodded.
"Ok." Ros stared at the floor, a sly smile creeping over her face. "Erin, Dimitri and Beth. Focus on finding Towers. Get him back here. Malcolm and the Geek Squad find out who and why Graham was set up, find out anything that could link Towers to Moran. I want Tariq working on comms at all times. No one is to drop their comms." She looked at Lucas as she spoke, knowing her husband had a knack of going dark in the field. "Adam, you and Zaf are probably legitimate targets. Moran killed two police officers today. He wont think twice about killing either of you."
"Bring it on." Adam narrowed his eyes.
"Drop the macho alpha male bull and concentrate on finding him."
"I have a contact." Lucas spoke. "Knows Towers well."
"We find Moran, Towers and their cronies and we stop them before a second bomb goes off." Ros stated as the various spooks made their way back to their desks, leaving the Briefing Room she grabbed Graham by the elbow and marching him into his father's office.
"Ros!"
"I know the worry and pain you caused all your family when you were drinking and taking that shit. If I find out you lied to your father you will wish you had shot your veins to pieces with that crap." Graham visibly paled as she spoke. "Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal."
"Good boy." Ros stated before walking out of the room, leaving Graham to gather his thoughts.
xxxxxxxxxxx
"Ruth, we will catch him." Harry took her hand as Ruth shook her head angrily. "Ruth."
"No, Harry. I am not sitting here waiting for him or one of his fascist little cronies to get it into their heads to try again. Me and hospitals don't mix." Ruth watched Harry intently as he lifted one hand to brush her hair away from her face. He saw the red mark on her neck and cheek properly for the first time.
"Ruth." He almost whispered her name as anger welled in the pit of his stomach. Ruth flinched.
"Men, you always know exactly where to hit." She sighed sadly. Harry gently ran a hand over the bruise on her face.
"No, not all men Ruth." He hed her gaze as Ruth covered his hand with her smaller one.
"I know." She watched as his lips twitched into a slight smile.
"I thought." He looked away. "When I saw Zaf with you on the floor. I really thought."
"Moran had killed me?" Harry nodded as Ruth brought his knuckles to her lips. "No, like he said I had no tree branch handy but I gave as good as I could. I'm not leaving you and the kids." Harry smiled slightly before kissing her softly.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Why are you asking me?" Juliet leant heavily on her crutches as Adam and Erin stared at her. The wind threatened to blow the crutches from her as she watched the pair of spooks. "I am no longer in the service and I had a completely different spinal injury than your precious Ruth." Adam smirked.
"We're not here about your back." He watched as she looked out over the Thames. "You've known William Towers since he was a political candidate. Before he was elected as MP."
"And?"
"And as the saying goes, it takes one to know one." Erin glared at the older woman. "You turned traitor. Now it looks like Towers has done the same."
"I was not a traitor."
"So, sticking a needle in Ros' neck was the action of a true patriot. I forgot." Adam glared at her. "Has Towers ever approached you about the British Way?"
"No." Juliet frowned. "I thought that was a thing of the past." Adam watched as she visibly tensed. "Anyway, have you asked Alec? He lives with me. He would know."
"Would he?" Erin watched the older woman. "You were the consummate spook. You'd be able to hide anything you wanted. I was married to an officer, we hardly ever discussed 5. I doubt you and Alec are any different."
"Does he know you are talking to me? This is preposterous."
"Yeah." Adam lied. "He's with an asset. People have died Juliet. I want to find Moran and Towers before anymore are killed. A two year old girl was in that explosion. Even you must see an attack on a woman and child as abhorrent."
"I heard about Ruth and the child." Erin watched as Juliet spoke. "Is the child ok?"
"Gracie-Jo." Erin stated. "Yes she is."
Juliet nodded once, before frowning.
"Towers always was ambitious. You don't get to be Home Secretary resting on your laurels. He has a very nasty little jealous streak and must have known the PM was going to order a reshuffle. I think Moran is guilty of everything you believe he is and more. Towers was once very good friends with Sampson. I'd look at that connection if you want to put a stop to the political ambitions of that odious little man and his friends." She watched as Adam glared. Moments later she turned and headed back into the crowds as Adam wondered just how he was going to keep his team safe.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
a/n please review