James' words caught in his throat; surely she had made a mistake.

"James are you still there?"

"What? Yes? Look, I'll be at headquarters as soon as I can."

"Good, then I'll see you soon."

He was about hang up when her next words stopped him.

"Once we get to the bottom of this, we need to talk. Q made me realise a few home truths earlier that I think we need to discuss."

"I thought we said all that needed to be said on the matter." He refused to get this hopes up only for her to dash them away again.

"Now is not the time for this Bond."

"Just tell me M, are you willing to give us a chance?" He waited with bated breath for her answer.

"Perhaps."

He felt somewhat relieved that it wasn't a no, but it wasn't a yes either. He would just have to play the waiting game.

"Alright."

"I'll see you soon."

The sound of the dial tone rang in his ears. Maybe the odds would be in his favour the second time round. Tossing the phone on the couch, he quickly made his way to get washed and changed into one of his three piece suits. Satisfied, he grabbed his car keys from the hall cabinet, and headed to the office.

The journey didn't take too long, he may have broken a few speed limits, but there were more important matters to deal with. Parking his car, he made his way into the building, and headed straight for M's office, needing to make sure she was indeed okay. He saw Moneypenny give him a smirk, and tilted her head towards M's office. Ignoring, the smug grin, he gently knocked on her door, and entered when told.

He let out a sigh of relief at seeing her seated behind her desk unharmed, and looked straight at him, waiting for him to close the door.

"Ma'am."

She saw the harsh bruising and cuts covering his face as a reminder of what had transpired only just twenty-four hours ago.

"Bond, you had best take a seat."

He did as she instructed, watching as she tried to keep her professional decorum trying not to let her emotions show.

"Are you sure it's Campbell?"

"I may be getting on in my years Bond, but my eyesight is still up to par."

She turned her monitor around and showed him the image on the screen, watching as his face became emotionless.

"Do we know why he planted explosives in Q's lab?"

"No, that part we are still trying to find out. I've got men looking into his file to see if there is any connection between him and Ellis. It also appears Campbell's address is no longer in use. The apartment block has recently been knocked down. With no additional address in his file, he could be anywhere.

Bond clenched his hand into a fist at hearing Ellis' name. It would be a name he wouldn't be forgetting anytime soon.

"What makes you believe there is even a connection?" He tried to keep his voice neutral.

"Two life threatening attempts in the space of twenty-four hours James, and you think they aren't connected? Did that beating scramble what brain cells you had left?"

"It could be a coincidence." He ignored the jibe, refusing to add fuel to the fire. A heated argument was the last thing that he wanted.

"You know I don't believe in coincidences Bond."

"So, what do you expect me to do? We do not have any leads, or any hard evidence. Face it M there is nothing to go on."

"As of yet, however, we are going to Ellis' apartment, a team is on their way there at the moment. If there is a connection with Ellis, perhaps we will find something there that can provide us with an idea what this is all about and help us locate Campbell."

"Are you sure that's wise ma'am?"

"I think I'm more than capable of looking around a house Bond." She was starting to feel irritated wondering where he was going with this line of questioning.

"I never said you weren't. I just think that maybe you should be resting after yesterday."

"I'm not a china doll Bond I won't break. Besides, if I can half carry Q from his lab, I think looking around a house will be no problem."

He leaned forward in his chair, that part she kept quiet. "You what? Are you stupid? You say I never think with my head before I act, looks like pot kettle black here to me M."

"I acted on instinct, I couldn't exactly leave Q in there could I?"

"No, but you could have waited. Damn it M, did you ever stop and consider what effect your actions would have on those who care about you?"

James was torn between anger and worry. He could now see why she gave him a bollocking after every mission for his reckless stunts. She was supposed to be safe, not risk her life that was his job. He quickly stood up and and made his way over to the window, the same window that M had collapsed in front of and into his arms only a day prior. He took a few deep breaths to get his emotions under control. He knew she could look after herself, she was the least fragile woman he knew, but with everything that happened recently he couldn't help feel that little more protective over her.

M rose from her seat and moved to make her way towards him. "Now you know how I feel when you do those reckless stunts of yours."

She looked up at him, seeing his jaw clench and his eyes fixed on what was in front of him, rather than looking at her.

"Look James. If we start a relationship these over protective feelings of yours cannot affect you from doing your job or from doing mine."

Her patience was wearing thin at being ignored. "For god sake James will you bloody look at me!"

James finally looked at her a look of resignation in his eyes, that caused M's heart to beat faster in her chest.

"It's kind of hard for that M, especially since you aren't even bloody safe in this building. You mean too much to me. If I had to choose between you or this job you would be my first choice every time."

"James, this organisation needs you-"

"But I need you more." James cut her off.

James reached out and caressed her face, noting she didn't pull away.

M continued to watch him. She could feel her resolve breaking under his touch.

"James…"

"Tell me to stop M, and I'll stop."

She wanted to push him away, and create some distance between them, but she found that she couldn't, or rather she didn't want to. She watched as he leaned down towards her, she knew after this there would be no going back.

The sound of her office door opening caused M to return to her senses and pull away from him, as she turned to see Moneypenny in the doorway.

"Ma'am sorry to interrupt, but the agents are at Ellis' flat awaiting your arrival."

James shot Moneypenny a dirty look at having interrupted them, but she merely tried to suppress a grin at having nearly caught them. She couldn't wait until she told Tanner.

"Thank you Moneypenny, but in future knock before entering my office."

Yes ma'am, sorry for interrupting."

M gave her a suspicious look knowing she would inform Tanner, but she would deal with those two later. First priority was checking Ellis' flat.

"We had best get a move on Bond."

"M…"

"Later, let's just get this over with first."

James had no choice but to follow after her, cursing Moneypenny under his breath with each step he took.

The drive to Ellis' was made in an uncomfortable silence. M refused to acknowledge him and stared out of the window the entire journey there. As soon as the car stopped, M was already out of the passenger door and made her way into the first set of flats and started to speak with one of the agents that were waiting for her. James followed after her at a slower pace, wanting to get his emotions under control.

Upon entering the flat, James took in the surroundings noting the plain wallpaper on the wall adorned with a few paintings that didn't seem to have any sentimental value. The living room looked bare, with the exception of a couch, a dining table and a small television. James ignored M, who was still discussing something with three agents as he continued to look around the room.

Entering Ellis' bedroom, he noticed it was just as inhospitable, with a double bed in the center. If he didn't know any better, it would seem as if the flat was used for a means of cover rather than living in. Noticing the chest of drawers to the left, he went over and opened the top one raking through it for anything that could be useful. He repeated the action with the second and third drawer. When he reached the fourth, his hands touched something hard.

Pulling out the item he noticed it was an album of some sort. Opening it, he took in the various aging photo's of two adults and a young boy. Looking at the details on the photo he realised it was Ellis and his parents. He continued to flick through it, taking in each photo, only to stop when he saw Ellis with another boy. The two of them appeared to be in their twenties. Taking out the photo, he turned it over, and cursed under his breath.

"M!"

He heard a set of footsteps behind him, and turned to look at her.

'What have you found Bond?"

"It seems you were right. There is a connection. Campbell is Ellis' cousin."

"Are you sure?"

She walked over to him, and took the photograph from his hand and looked it over.

"Shit, he no doubt blames us for Ellis' death."

"Perhaps, he had us all fooled." James wanted to kick himself for thinking Campbell wanted to help him.

"Ma'am, you need to come and look at this."

M and James followed the agent from the room, who led them into what seemed to be a spare bedroom, only for them to stop in their tracks. The walls were covered in pictures with a specific date, time and place next to each one.

M took in each of the photos, noticing herself and Bond together in some, but herself in others. He had been spying on them watching their every move. For someone who didn't like she or Bond he seemed to be obsessed.

"We also found this."

She tore her eyes away from the pictures, and looked at the journal she was handed, inside was the name of each of the government officials that had been murdered a photo next to their names followed by a red 'X' she flicked over the other page her face turning white, at seeing her own face reflecting back towards her. He was working with Sarintino, which was probably why Ellis killed him rather than bring him in for questioning. Ellis knew Sarintino would have probably told them everything about his involvement.

Closing the journal, she looked up to the agent. "I want all these photos bagged and taken back to headquarters along with anything else you find. Ellis may be dead, but it seems Campbell is taking over from where he left off."

"Of course ma'am."

The agent turned and did as he was ordered. She could feel James' eyes burning into her as he stood beside her.

"M, let me take a look at the journal."

She handed it over to him, and turned towards him, watching as his face became hard with each page he turned. He looked back towards her, knowing he had found the page with her picture. She had noticed that look on his face many times, and the end result never ended well for those on the receiving end of it. There was no question in her mind that when they found Campbell, it wouldn't be her that would need the protection, it would be him.

/*\*/*\

Campbell watched, M and James enter Ellis' flat, knowing what they would find. He knew what Ellis was up to, helping Sarintino kill government officials, by giving him the information he needed by hacking MI6's servers. He turned a blind eye. After all he was family and he was the one that got him the job at six when he was in financial trouble. He had moved in with Ellis when his apartment block was knocked down and didn't breathe a word of what Ellis was up to.

He would sit and listen as he would rant about Bond and M, and how one day he would dispose of them. He thought nothing of it. He didn't know them well. Having spent limited time with them. But when he had heard that Ellis was dead, he knew then and there what Ellis meant. He couldn't believe how easy it was for Bond to trust him with his feelings on M, or Q actually believing he wanted to help them. When M's heart stopped, he would have liked to have left the bitch like that, but it would raise suspicion. It was only luck that his final attempt brought her back much to his disappointment. They took someone close to him, so he would return the favour. Q and Tanner were close to M, and M was close to Bond. He nearly had Q, but next time he wouldn't fail.

He would pick them off one by one, hurting the people closest to M first. Then he would hit Bond where it really hurt. Watching him fight, powerless as he tried to save the woman he loved only for him to fail, then he would kill him, if Bond didn't drive himself insane with his guilt first. Their time would come, and when it does he will enjoy watching their world burn.