Since next week is shaping up to be rather hectic I decided to update as much as possible while I have time, but I didn't think you would mind :)
"It's alright James, she hasn't been shot, at least not that I can tell, she's just in shock" said Jack as he loosened his grip on M so she could turn to see James
M reached out to cup James' cheek as he took her arm and pulled her into his lap, cradling her in his arms as he placed soft kisses all over her face.
"Jesus M...I thought I lost you" he murmured into her hair "I never should have let you do this" he said angrily
M just closed her eyes and held on to James as if her life depended on it.
"I'll give you two a few minutes" said Jack as he prepared to stand
"No...Don't go" said M weakly as she reached out and grasped Jack's arm
"It's alright...I'm just going to see about getting us out of here" he replied with a smile as he patted her hand and stood up to leave the room.
"I really thought I had lost you this time" said James with a crack in his voice as he looked down at her and caressed her cheek.
"He told me you were dead" she said as she ran her fingers along his face with her thumb tracing his lips
"And you believed him?"
"Well what was I to think? All I heard was Agent Down, and Jack wasn't there to tell me it wasn't you"
"When this is over I intend to have a very long talk with Jack" replied James with a note of irritation in his voice as he leaned down and gently kissed her. "For God's sake, he told me you would be safe, that he wouldn't take his eyes off you.."
"James" said M as she struggled to sit up "Jack did exactly what he was supposed to do. I had two agents with me all the time. What else could he have done?" she asked
"He could have stayed with you!"
"Now you and I know that that just wasn't practical or possible." she said sharply
"The hell it wasn't. Why are you defending him?...He nearly got you killed!"
"You weren't at the Safe house. You didn't see how he took care of me, how he agonized over how to get you back, you didn't see how he..." she replied as her anger was beginning to build
"How he what?...How he fell for you" interrupted James
"Go to hell " said M as she pulled away from him
"Five seconds with him and you have feelings for him ... he was supposed to be protecting you"
" He did protect me, and yes... I have feelings for him, he risked his life to rescue me!"
"And a fine job he did, He nearly got you killed by leaving you in the hands of two incompetent idiots..."
"That's quite enough James!" hissed M as she got up and started toward the door
"And I suppose that my nearly getting myself killed means nothing" he said dryly as he stood up to follow her
M shot a look of both anger and pain at James as she made her way through what was left of the kitchen running directly into Jack.
"Hey...What's going on in here?" he asked, clearly noting the anger and hurt expressions on both James and M's faces
"Mind your own business" snapped James furiously as he brushed past them on his way out the door
"M?...What's going on?"
M just stared at Jack as her knees began to buckle. Jack quickly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him as she buried her face in his chest and sobbed. He let her cry out her frustration for a few minutes before he tenderly reached down and tilted her chin up to face him and placed a soft kiss to her lips, and whether it was exhaustion, frustration, anger or genuine attraction, M surprised even herself by responding to the kiss.
"Come on...let's get you out of here. I think you've had just about enough excitement for one day" he said softly as he led her from the flat.
Jack took M back to the hotel so she could collect her things. Given the circumstances she really didn't want to stay at the hotel any longer than necessary. James had chosen to return on the motorbike that he and Agent Rogers had commandeered and was already in the room when they arrived.
"I'll give you some time to pack before we head back to the Safe house" said Jack quietly.
"Safe House my arse " replied James sarcastically
"That's enough James" snapped M
"Look...I don't know what's happened between you two, but I suggest you work it out" replied Jack as he headed toward the door
James and M stared at him as though they were school children being reprimanded by the headmaster.
Jack gently took hold of M shoulders and lifted her chin so he could look her in the eyes "I mean it! You two have been through too much together to fall apart now" he said as he leaned in and kissed her forehead before he left.
"And just what the bloody hell was that supposed to mean?" asked James angrily
"It means that I've been acting a fool" she replied softly
James, confused by her statement gave her a curious look before he went back to packing, angrily tossing his belongings into his bag.
"James"
"What?"
"Would you hold me?" she asked in a rather shaky voice as she turned to look at him with a look that could have stopped time
Without a second thought, James instantly crossed the room and pulled her to him in a tight embrace. He could feel her trembling as he held her and he suddenly began to feel like a first class idiot.
"We're quite a pair" he said quietly as he continued to hold her tightly
M nodded in agreement as she rested her head against his chest, listening to his heart beat as she began to play with the buttons of his shirt.
"I'm sorry about what I said earlier" said James as he lightly placed a kiss to her temple
"Let's not talk about it right now" she replied as she finally started to relax in his arms
"We need to get you out of those clothes" said James, referring to the blood stained clothing M was wearing
"You've been waiting this entire mission to say that haven't you" she replied with a suspicious and yet playful smile
"Well now that you mention it..."
"I suppose you're right" she replied as she released her grip and started toward the bathroom "About changing clothes I mean"
"Look if you want to stay here tonight and catch a flight out tomorrow..."
"No thank you" she said in such a tone that there could be no mistaking what she meant "I didn't really want to come back here at all, but being that this is where my luggage is located, I did not seem to have much choice"
"So I take it that you still want to stay at the Safe house...with Jack" replied James with a hint of jealousy in his voice
"You're not going to go on about that again are you?"
"You're the one who brought it up" he said defensively
"Look!" she said turning to face him with her hands on her hips "It is true that I have very definite feelings for Jack, In fact I kissed him because I was angry at you, however..." she said as she slowly closed the distance between them until she was standing directly in front of him "I happen to love you and he could never replace you" she said as she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a deep kiss. As she released him she looked up into his amazing blue eyes "alright?"
"Yes" was all he could manage to say as he began to nuzzle her neck, planting soft kisses along her collar bone.
"Enough of that" she said as she playfully slapped at his arm "Why don't you call and bring Mallory up to speed while I change"
"Now that's a sure fire way to kill a mood" he replied sounding a bit disappointed
"Sorry, but duty first" she replied as she disappeared into the bathroom
Once M had changed and packed they headed down to meet Jack.
"Well from the looks of you two, you seem to have worked out you differences" said Jack as he put his arm around M's shoulder
"Yes...we have" replied James as he promptly removed Jacks arm and replaced it with his own, pulling M a bit closer.
"Alright you two" scolded M "That's enough"
"Fine ...I get the picture...You don't trust her with me" said Jack with a laugh "Are we ready to go?"
"Yes" replied M as she linked her free arm with Jacks while wrapping her other arm around James' waist.
"Christ...we look like we should be skipping down the yellow brick road" muttered James as they headed out the door
As James was putting the luggage in the car, M pulled Jack aside.
"Jack...when we get to the Safe house, would it be possible to speak to you alone? I think there is something we need to discuss before James and I leave tomorrow" she whispered
"Sure...I think that can be arranged" he replied with a curious grin
TO BE CONTINUED...