Chapter 7
M is pondering the last few days as she dresses for the formal military banquet that they are attending. In her case is a small Derringer pistol.
Rarely has she ever felt the need to arm herself let alone for a formal event but the circumstances are that it may be necessary for her to defend herself.
M's blue gown has a slit in the skirt as she ponders where the best place to stow her deadly small gun as not to advertise its presence. There is a knock at the door and she replies without a second thought.
"Come in."
James peeks his head around the door looking dashing in his Royal Navy dress uniform.
M is stunning in a blue v neck gown with the skirt bunched up and her foot on a chair. The top of her right stocking in view as she fiddles with a small Derringer pistol.
Bond's eyes go wide when he takes in M and the expanse of leg she is displaying.
"It is almost time…you look…amazing M. What are you doing with that gun?"
M put her foot back on the floor turning to face him.
"Trying to find a place to stow it…stocking or…I think I could put it in my bra."
"Why on earth do you need a gun suddenly? I though you couldn't shoot to save your life anyway?"
"Well, I may need one this time…I am actually expecting an attack tonight. Did Ducky arrive yet…it's getting late and he said he had a surprise for me."
"Not yet and give me that gun before you hurt yourself. Even though I would love to see this in your stockings I think it is too dangerous for you. I will put it in my pocket…it wouldn't do for your date to be running his hands up your leg and encountering this…stimulating but not for you M."
"Bond I think I should be the judge of that not you and how do you plan on getting that past security?"
"I have my ways…how were you planing on it?"
"The overlay of this dress is metallic…Q branch had it made and it confuses the sensors making my entire body seem like a gun therefore they think the device is faulty."
"Your entire body is a weapon M but that is a different conversation all together. Don't you think that gown is a tad low-cut for a night like this."
"What is wrong with it? You just said it was lovely and I dare say I've worn lower cut blouses in the office."
"Yes, it is gorgeous and so are you but that is when you are here with me…alone and not out on a date. I am your bodyguard M and I take that duty very seriously and very literally."
"Bond you need to stop this nonsense now. I am your boss and nothing more."
"Nothing more…really, Tanner tells a different story about how you reacted when I collapsed at your feet try to get here to warn you….come on M. Admit it you like me best. I am your best so that goes without saying that you cannot do without me."
"I have other 00's Bond why do you think you're special?"
"I don't know, other than I am the most devastatingly handsome of your male agents and I care about you more than any of the others…although 005 told me his finds you sexy as a fox."
"As if. You are my most frustrating agent and you had better be ready for tonight…can you manage to stand the entire time? Your body must feel terrible."
"You can feel it for yourself later if you like M…oh you already have when you patched me up."
M blushes in spite of not wanting to react to his flirtations at all.
"Please stop the flirting Bond I like the Doctor…I am not about to ruin my reputation with the likes of you."
"M you are a cruel one aren't you."
Tanner knocks at the door.
"Ducky is here to take you to the ball M…Bond. You look lovely ma'am and Bond you almost look presentable too. Here are two earpieces for you to stay in contact. Just touch it to activate and speak, touch again to turn off. Mr. McGee will be monitoring the event and giving updates. Agent Gibbs will be accompanying your party in dress uniform also."
"Very good, Tanner. Shall we Bond?"
"I'm game if you are M but we shouldn't we wait until Tanner leaves the room?"
M rolls her eyes and Tanner looks shocked.
"Flirting is pointless Bond and you're not my type."
M walks past Tanner and heads downstairs to meet Ducky.
Ducky is standing at the bottom of his stairs in his dress uniform as M comes down. She is a vision in dark blue and silver. Ducky takes her hand in his and brings it to his lips.
"My dear you are a vision that puts Aphrodite to shame."
"Thank you Ducky and you look wonderful also…have I told you yet how I feel about men in kilts."
M winks at him as Bond and Tanner join them. Bond is rolling his eyes at the flirting. Bond's surprised about the kilt comment if he had known M got off on kilts earlier, he would have had his own sent.
The front door opens to show Gibbs looking fine in his dress uniform also. Ducky leads them into the sitting room to talk.
M questions Gibbs on the investigation.
"There is a group of trainees under Captain Reynolds that we have begun investigating but none were at the base when we tried to track them down. Here are the images of the men who could be a threat."
Bond takes the pad and sits beside M and Ducky so the three of them can look at the images.
Bond asks. "What about the Captain? Where is he?"
"Ziva and Tony are on the way to his home in the mountains but as of yet nothing. We have run out of time. Are you sure that you want to go to this in these circumstances?"
"Yes…I have to go…part of my orders agent Gibbs. I am not one to stop everything for a supposed threat. Neither of the men that attacked actually came close to me so luck is on my side."
"This is the man who ran me over. Scott it says here."
"Scott was the bunk-mate of the man who was found dead near Langley, he had transferred out of the unit months ago."
Ducky asks. "How many in the unit are unaccounted for besides the Captain?"
"There are 12. I have looked into the security for this event and none of these men are on the list."
"Well, boys shall we? Ducky you promised a surprise?"
"That I did M'lady your chariot awaits."
Gibbs smiles and shakes his head. Ducky is pulling out all the stops for M, he must be driving the Morgan tonight.
"Commander Bond…you will be coming with me."
Bond looks confused. "Why?"
"You'll see."
Ducky places his hand on the small of M's back as he guides her through the front door.
"Oh Ducky…she's beautiful."
M walks over to Ducky's lovingly restored 57, Morgan. Ducky opens the door and helps her inside. He notices the frown on Bond's face as he rounds the car to take the driver's seat.
"Ducky…you will be careful driving, won't you?"
M peaks out the window to answer him.
"Oh Bond please I am far safer driving with him than you in that Austin Martin DB5 that you think I don't know about…I've seen what you do with the company cars so I do hope you treat the antiques easier and more respectfully."
"Oh M…I'm very gentle with antiques…I know where true value lies."
M rolls her lovely eyes at him.
"Bond. Play nice with agent Gibbs…or else!"
"Yes ma'am!"
Bond climbs into the car with Gibbs who cannot contain the grin on his face.
"What's the joke mate?"
"Nothing. Can I ask if M was a redhead?"
"You can ask but I don't know the answer and we call them gingers. Why?"
"She seems like she was…there is just something about redheads."
Bond crosses his arm in front of him and watches the progress of the Morgan ahead of them.
"You married Gibbs?"
"I was."
"End badly?"
"The worst way, you?"
"Almost."
"What happened?"
"She betrayed me for 50 million pounds and then killed herself by drowning, trapped in a lift in a collapsing building in Venice. I tried to save her but…"
"So we are both hard luck cases with women."
"Maybe…I take it yours was a ginger."
"All three of my wives were."
"Three! Well, at least you kept trying."
"You give up?"
"Yes, and no."
"M?"
"What about M?"
"She's a widow…you and her?"
"It's complicated."
"I bet. Age difference not an issue?"
"You've met her…what do you think?"
"Yes…I get it…thought Tony was going to die for touching her in the office."
"He almost did."
"Ducky is in love."
"I know…hard not to see it."
"I can't last…M will never leave Britain will she?"
"No…he wouldn't come home?"
"I don't know."
"I hope he won't but he'd be a fool not to."
"How does M feel?"
"I have no idea."
"She's closed off?"
"M doesn't like to face what she is uncomfortable with in her personal life."
"Strange…with her job I would think she could handle anything."
"Yes…coping mechanism…M is not who she is but what she is."
"Very intense at work?"
"You have no idea. If you get to see her when she's on fire as we call it…"
"I can imagine. That's why I asked if she was a redhead."
"How long has she been M?"
"Almost, twenty years."
"When did the husband pass?"
"8 months…I was out of country."
"M have…issues with any other agents…male dominated field and she is…well…respected."
"I think you mean alluring and no, not that I know of. She had a long marriage…we all respected that."
"Amazing that she could manage that with this type of job."
"Yes, it is…but she is a remarkable woman."
"I can tell."
"I take it you are trying to see if M is good enough for Ducky?"
"Yes."
"Well?"
"I think she is. What do you think about Ducky?"
"Decent bloke…well educated good sense of loyalty."
"But?"
"But what? You don't want them to be happy?"
Bond remains silent. He has a feeling that the two of them never usually share this much information about each other to strangers. However, this is an interview for the friends and relationships that are changing around them.
Both Gibbs and Bond are on the cusp of loosing someone who they care about. For Bond it is more…deeper than that. Because M is a woman and these feelings have become…they have jumped a line from matronly boss filling a motherly role to the embodiment of all his needs and desires.
"I do want M to be happy."
"Not with Ducky?"
"No."
"Will you step in?"
"No."
"Good."
"Glad we understand each other."
"Yes, Marine to Royal Naval officer."
"Allies."
"Yes, but don't kill anymore of us Commander."
"I will try but…"
"What?"
"They better not get anywhere near her."
"We won't let them."
"Any news?"
"Tony and Ziva were caught in traffic trying to get out of D.C. to Reynolds' home. Nothing yet and no sign of any of the men on base."
"I have a bad feeling about this."
"Me too."
"Ducky armed?"
"I think he has an ornamental dirk with his uniform."
"I caught M with this."
Bond pulls the Derringer out of his pocket and shows Gibbs.
Gibbs smiles. "Where was she going to stow it in that gown?"
Bond puts the gun away and sighs.
"Where do you think?"
"Stocking or bra…either way…damn."
"I know…just another image I will never forget."
"I bet…I will have difficulty looking at her without imagining that Derringer."
"I know but she could hurt herself."
"Not a good shot."
"No, her weapon of choice is her mouth."
"I can see that."
They are almost at their destination. Bond wonders what M and Ducky are discussing as he can see their heads nodding in conversation as they drive in the Morgan in front of them.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Ducky pulls away from his house as M gives a wave to Tanner standing in the drive to see them off.
"You're Mr. Tanner seem a good man."
"He is…I don't know what I would do without him."
"And Bond?"
M smiles at Ducky.
"How long have you been waiting to ask me about him…I wonder?"
"Well, a man likes to know his competition before playing the game my dear."
"Competition? Bond is not competition for you Ducky."
"Are you certain M?"
"What exactly are you implying Dr. Mallard?"
"You are distancing yourself my dear and that speaks volumes."
"There is nothing going on between Bond and myself."
"Bond thinks he is in love with you."
"That has recently come to my attention…yes."
"Do you have feelings for him."
"Of course I do on a maternal level but…"
"But you never thought the fantasy would ever come true."
"What fantasy?"
"Sleeping with Bond."
"WHAT?"
"Come now my dear…it is only natural to fantasize about attractive people and as we age the young ones seem utterly unattainable. However now you suddenly realize that you could have him if you allow yourself too."
"Really Ducky…don't be absurd. It would be too inappropriate to even consider."
"I don't think so and neither does Bond. I once asked a much younger woman out and she flatly refused because of my age however not all of them see it that way. Some like the security of an older man."
"That is because they think they have money and will look after them and not cheat as the younger ones are inclined to do."
"Your husband was he older than you?"
"Two years older…not much."
"Children?"
"A girl and a boy…3 grandchildren also."
"Did you love him?"
"Nigel was my best and closest friend and yes I did love him. Did you think that he was a ruse? Some do…a front for a real life in the midst of the secretive world I live in during the day."
"The thought had crossed my mind."
"I am not that good an actress I'm afraid."
"Long marriage?"
"45 years."
"That is long…was it good all the way through?"
"There were ups and downs…affairs and problems."
"He had the affair or you?"
"Him but it was my lack of presence that was the cause."
"That is no excuse and you place blame on yourself out of guilt for your nontraditional gender decision to do what you do."
"Perhaps but it was not an easy life for him to turn his head an ignore me disappearing with men in black to come to D.C. or fly to Paris without even coming home to pack a bag."
"What about your children?"
"They resent me…barely speak to me since Nigel died."
"That is sad…once they know what you have devoted your life to it may change their minds about their childhoods."
"It won't change the fact I was barely there…just the cause…which they will not know until my death."
"Have you made an effort with them?"
"No…I thought it safer for them to keep well away from me."
"That is a shame…very sad. I always wanted children but…nothing works out the way we envision it when we are young, does it?"
"No It doesn't"
"You are closer to Bond and Tanner than you are to your children."
"Yes…I suppose that is right…I am."
"Is this why you won't allow yourself to love Bond on a deeper level?"
"Ducky…"
"Seriously M…the man may be the age of your children and have a dangerous job but life is too short to waste or miss chances of happiness."
"Ducky I find it strange that you are pushing me away into the arms of a younger man when I thought you and I were getting along so well."
"I am pushing you because I want you. I know that this relationship between us is doomed from the start…I think you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen but we live too far away and are too old and set in our ways to move to be more accommodating. I want you to be happy regardless and if that happiness can be found in the arms of your agent…then find that happiness."
"I think I would be more comfortable in your arms Ducky."
"Thank you M and we do have tonight."
"Yes, we do Ducky."
"Too bad your bodyguard is my biggest competition."
"Well, he will have to stand by and watch us then because I refuse to be timid because he is there."
"I am happy to agree with that."
"Ducky…I hate that you gave up your room for me…I will share you know."
"I was hoping you would say that…that is why I made sure you had my room…should I need to get anything out of it later…would be a fantastic excuse wouldn't it?"
"You do not need an excuse when I am inviting you in advance."
Ducky reached for M's hand and pulled it to his lips.
"I would be delighted my dear."
"Good…as long as we live through this banquet, I'm all yours doctor."
"I will do everything in my power to make sure this evening runs smoothly and so will my team."
M laughs. "I wonder what they will think when they find out that main mission of the evening is to prevent my assassination thus allowing us to tumble beneath the sheets together."
"Bond will not be happy."
"But we will Ducky and that is what matters tonight. Like you pointed out, we are to old for wasting time."
"Here, here...no looking back and no regrets for us tonight my dear."
"I never regret...it's unprofessional."
To be continued...