M rubbed her temples after the last call was made. It didn't get any easier, especially when one of the agents Thompson just recently became a father. The woman was inconsolable, having known what her husband did for a living. It still didn't make it any easier for her. She had blamed M for allowing it to happen, and in some respect she was right. It may have been Ellis that killed him, but she was the one that should have seen the threat from him to start with. If she had then all of this may have been avoided. Now she had to live with the consequences.

She had tried to find a next of kin for Ellis, but there was no contact on his file leading her to believe he had erased all trace of his family from it. She would have to ask Q to increase the security on personnel files, first Bond and now Ellis. It really was starting to get ridiculous. Then there was the matter of looking for Ellis' replacement, but that could wait a couple of more days. She was getting fed up with dealing with double O's for one day. Leaving the rest of her tea, she made the decision to go and see how Tanner was doing, she was just lucky she didn't lose him as well.

It didn't take her long before she was in medical, looking around she saw there was no sign of Campbell much to her relief. She didn't think she could cope with another relationship session with him. The one last night was bad enough.

She saw the same nurse she had pestered yesterday, and by the looks of things she remembered too.

"What can I do for you ma'am? "

"I'm here to see Bill Tanner and Doctor Phillips, if he is up to it."

"Mr Tanner is due to be released, but he is still in his room. Just down that corridor, and fourth room to the right. Doctor Phillips is currently resting, but you can come back later. "

"Thank you- Laura." She followed in the direction she was told.

Standing outside the designated room, she softly knocked and entered when she heard his voice. Upon entering she saw his eyes widen when he realised who it was.

"How are you feeling Tanner?" M walked over to him, and took a seat in the chair next to his bed.

"A little sore Ma'am, but I'll live. My pride was bruised more than anything."

"I don't think you have to worry about your pride Tanner, you did more than enough."

"Still wasn't enough though. Ellis still got past us."

"Regret is unprofessional, besides what's done is done we have to move on. "

Tanner noticed she was wearing her usual fitted suits and could feel the heat rising on his face at remembering seeing what those suits were hiding.

M seemed to catch on what he was thinking about and could feel her lip twitch. She expected to feel uncomfortable herself, but she found it rather amusing.

"Q informed me of what happened with his state of the art cloning machine, and how you saw clone me in a state of undress. Well, I think it's only fair that you return the favour Tanner."

"What?"

She saw the worry in his eyes and his face going a darker shade of red.

"Ma'am, about that I…"

"Relax Tanner, you can keep your clothes on. I should probably apologise for the scare you got though when you saw clone me naked. "

"Quite the opposite in fact." He muttered under his breath.

M raised an eyebrow in amusement at hearing the statement.

"I'm not going to have to file a sexual harassment suit am I?"

"No, no. Besides, Bond would kill me otherwise."

Tanner saw all amusement leave her face, and cursed himself for mentioning him. He knew something had happened between them having Campbell filled him in on some of the details before he was paged for an emergency. He decided to change the subject.

"How are you feeling Ma'am?"

"I've been better Tanner, but after what happened yesterday I can safely say I've gone off coffee. "

She knew that wasn't what he was meaning, but that was all he was getting.

"I don't blame you there Ma'am. I'm just glad you're still here."

M gave him a genuine smile, "Well, it's nice to know I would be missed."

"You would. That and the idea of warming up to a new boss is unappealing. It took me months to get used to you." Tanner jokingly told her.

"The feeling was mutual Tanner, and thank you for that ridiculous nickname by the way. New recruits look at me like I'm the wicked witch."

"About that Ma'am…" Tanner said sheepishly recalling the day he had let his mouth run away from him.

"It's in the past Tanner, I'm hoping if they think that then they won't be too much trouble in the future. God knows the agents we have already cause me enough grief."

"Well, a particular one at most. He may cause you grief ma'am, but he cares." Tanner reached out for her hand with his uninjured one.

"It's the how much he cares, that bothers me. You think I should have given us a chance to don't you? "

"I won't lie, but yes I do. However, I also know that you have to do what's best for you. We may all want it to happen, but if you aren't ready, then you aren't ready."

"You're a good man Tanner, at least someone seems to understand. But I don't know if I'll ever be ready. "

"Look, you don't need to sleep with him right away, but at least give him a chance to prove himself to you if nothing else. "

M mulled over Tanner's words, she could give him a chance yes, but it was that chance that she knew there would be no going back from.

"There is something else, that's happened? Isn't there? "

"In a matter of speaking, Ellis kindly informed the minister that myself and Bond were currently in a sexual relationship, and I was putting one agent above the welfare of Queen and country. It took me a good ten minutes to deal with him, before I chucked him out."

Tanner had a feeling Ellis would have done something like this. "You do know that if you and Bond ever did get together we would have your back. We're loyal to you not the minister. He can go fuck himself."

M listened in amusement as Tanner continued to badmouth the minister, good old faithful Tanner, she knew she could depend on him.

"Tanner I would stop there. I think I get the picture."

"Sorry ma'am. "

"Are you?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Not really."

"I thought as much. When you get out of here, I want you to take some leave, god knows you deserve it. I don't want to see you back until the start of next week. "

"I'm more than capable…"

"Don't let me make it an order Tanner."

"Alright, but if you need me…"

"I'll get Moneypenny to call you in." She pulled her hand from his and rose from the chair making her way to leave his room.

"You know ma'am? "

She stopped and turned to look at him.

"If those new recruits saw the evil queen of numbers now, they would be walking all over you." Tanner gave her a smile.

"Well, it's a good thing they won't find out then isn't, it Tanner." She told him meaningfully.

"Take care and I'll see you next week."

"You too ma'am. "

She exited his hospital room, and headed in the direction to Q branch. She may as well get this debriefing over with, before he decides to build something else without her prior knowledge or consent. Letting out a sigh, she had just entered the corridor to Q branch, when she heard a loud explosion from Q's lab. Picking up the pace, she ran into the lab seeing the room filled with smoke.

"Q?" She started to cough as the smoke started to enter her lungs.

She could feel her eyes sting as she looked about the room for any sign of him.

"M?"

Following the sound of the familiar voice she finally saw him, lying a few feet away, blood freely running down the side of his head. Kneeling down next to him, she noticed the blood was coming from a deep gash from his temple.

"Can you stand?"

"I think so."

It came out as a mere whisper as M struggled to hear him. Helping him up from the ground with some difficulty, she saw him start to sway on his feet. Taking one of his arms and wrapping it around her shoulders, she navigated them both from the room. He wasn't exactly light, and due to their height difference, it made it more awkward to navigate them from the lab.

"Ma'am? Are you alright?"

She looked up to see one of her agents in front of her. "I'm fine, Q is a different matter."

The agent freed M from her burden much to her relief, and continued to make their way from the room as more agents entered.

Once in the corridor, she relished in the clean air, but it didn't last long when she heard the agents panicked voice.

"We need to get him to medical ma'am, he's not responding."

She looked over to Q noticing he had passed out. Letting out a curse, she checked his pulse, feeling the steady pulse if a bit fast under her fingertips.

"What the hell happened?"

She looked to the sound of the familiar voice and saw Campbell and a few medical staff.

"You're guess is as good as mine, but we'll worry about that later. Q needs medical attention."

She moved out the way as Campbell checked him over, before taking him away to medical. M watched until they were out of her line of vision before turning to look back at the lab. 'What have you gone and done now Q?'