By request and for: LadyDuchess82.

Thanks also to detectivecaz; liz1967; DS2010 & SassyRaydorGirl for all the comments and helpful suggestions.

Epilogue: Conversation between M and Bond

James…It's Olivia. I was wondering if you would...like to come over for dinner tonight?

I am serious….no…Ducky just left for the airport.

Yes… that means I am alone in the house…you would make quite a detective for deducing that one James.

Sorry for the sarcasm….are you drunk James?

You just sound so confused.

Well, I never had to invite you to dinner when you were living here after...

I have everything I need to make a meal here and yes you can call me Olivia while you're here.

How about 7 is that enough time for you?

Ha…ha, if you come now nothing will be prepared.

I need time to get ready.

Good. I will see you then….bye.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What on earth?"

"You asked me for dinner…I thought you would like some wine."

"Wine…yes but candy…a balloon heart attached to a teddy bear it is a little above and beyond. What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't really…I was nervous to tell you the truth."

"Nervous why?"

"Us...this. Me and you...here and now how much you mean to me."

"Since when does a woman make James Bond nervous?

"M you are the only woman who could ever make me this way."

"Bond, you are not in any trouble and it was Ducky that made me call you…he insisted I stop...keeping you waiting."

"He did…did he? Is this some sort of older person pillow talk that I need to learn about?"

"Bond! No…Ducky stayed in the spare room. He knew I needed him as a friend not as a lover."

"I think I love that man."

"Ha ha…I will be sure to tell him when we speak tomorrow."

"You two have become close haven't you?"

"Yes, we have…he is an amazing man."

"I am sorry M, but I am selfishly ecstatic to learn that he will stay in the states. His loss because you are an amazing woman M and I would move anywhere to be near you."

"Flattery will not sway me that much Bond."

"I have to try to charm you into bed somehow Olivia."

"James...I am still healing…and both of you have helped me…more that you can imagine and I need to thank you for that. Now come in and take your coat off. Dinner will be ready in a moment if you would like to open the wine."

"Certainly M. It smells delicious."

"I hope you like lamb and potatoes."

"I do very much. Here…sit down and relax M…I'm sure it will be delicious."

"This wine is very good."

"Here, let me give you some more."

"Bond, are you trying to get me drunk?"

"M I've seen you drink…one bottle for the two of us is not going to do it."

"Ha…I suppose you are right…good thing I have a few bottles of my own."

"Good…I thought you might."

"Let us just see how the evening goes…the conversations we need to have."

"Now I'm nervous again M…Olivia."

"Don't be. I have to know what happened on the mission and I am sure you have questions for me."

"I most certainly do. First of them being are you in love with Ducky M?"

"Well, I see that you like to jump right into the emotional arena first. I like him…I enjoyed spending time with him but no I am not in love with him."

"I am positive he loves you and I did not enjoy being in the same house while you enjoyed sexy time with him."

"No…I know you didn't…I'm sorry but your personal profession of love seemed like a giant joke to me at the time."

"So you think my feelings are a joke?"

"No…but you understand…I thought you were playing games with me."

"Do you believe in them now?"

"Yes I do."

"So I finally got through that stubborn nature of yours and you understand that I love you."

"Well…love is strong isn't it…I mean have you been in love before?"

"Not like this."

"Why is this different?"

"I never stop thinking about you…I want to be with you all the time…protect you. Kill whoever touches you."

"Even men you like…Ducky for instance, because he touched me…a lot."

"Stop rubbing it in M…I do like him but no I do not want him touching you. I am very glad that I was on that mission for the entire time he was visiting or I would have camped out here to discourage any bedroom activities between the two of you."

"Ha…if you had I would have taken him to bed just to torture you."

"So you would use the poor man just to aggravate me? Well, well M. Who exactly would you be doing that for then? I never took you for such a terrible tease Olivia."

"Don't push me Bond."

"Back to Bond…what happened to James. You always switch depending on how much I irk you. Olivia I think you need pushing every once in a while. Even if you did have had a rough year."

"Yes, I have had a bad year…but it is getting better now."

"You still miss him don't you?"

"Yes, I do. Does that bother you too?"

"No…not Nigel, never him. He had claim on you far longer than I. Anyone else…is unwanted competition."

"So you would never have told me how you felt about me had he lived?"

"No, I never would have dared."

"That does not sound like the James Bond I know."

"You think I would…try to seduce you while married? Yes, I suppose I have gone after married women on the job before but they had unhappy marriages M."

"You assume mine was always happy?"

"For a woman like you to stay…yes I do."

"He did cheat on me once."

"Really? Did you get him one back and take someone to bed?"

"No…that would have made everything worse. The rampant sexism of society believes that because of my position if I digress…it would be a security risk. Hell if they find out about Ducky I will have to visit the PM's office and have my wrists slapped."

"What about with me?"

"We have the same job…signed the same secrets act. Of anyone you would be considered safer than my husband even."

"Do you want to deal with another elephant in the room M? Do you want my report tonight?"

"I was unaware there were two elephants in this room?"

"Your relationship with Ducky and the disposal of the garbage that raped you M."

"Yes…yes…what happened?"

"I took him to the Island and he bitched about everything on the flight in. He thought that you had arranged me taking him as a way to snuff him out. I stayed around but not close enough to have to speak with the man. He assumed I was awaiting pickup by helicopter after I saw that he was settled.…I was waiting for them to find us. It only took a day. They dragged him to the beach and shot him. He did beg me to save him…I ignored the bastard."

"But you said they came to do it themselves and we got them."

"Yes, we did…along with a lot of money for your project."

"Good. Do you want dessert? Why are your eyebrows wiggling in such a way?"

"Dessert M?"

"Oh really…I don't think we are going that far…regardless of the rather teenaged gifts and wine you have plied me with."

"So I have no chance tonight?"

"Chance to do what Bond?"

"Chance to sleep with you."

"You have already slept with me Bond…at least 8 nights in the last month and a half, if you include injured and drugged in my hotel in DC."

"Let me rephrase that. I want to make love to you…desperately."

"James…I…don't think I can do that yet…it is still too soon."

"M…Olivia…don't stress about it…I understand completely. I will wait for you to be ready, but I would like to spend the night…just for support."

"James…you are incorrigible."

"By that smile M…I think you like incorrigible."

"Maybe I do but we must also set some ground rules if we are going to develop whatever this is into any sort of relationship."

"OK…number one; no work talk in the bedroom."

"I think that is jumping ahead a bit James. I was wondering if we should tell Tanner and Eve?"

"Tell them what M…nothing has even happened."

"Tanner expects…that we are in a relationship already doesn't he?"

"Tanner is too scared of both of us to say anything else…I think he may even be happy for me."

"Really? Just you?"

"You have already mastered this love thing…long ago, but I my dear, am a work in progress."

"That is how you define your love life…a work in progress?"

"Yes…fits I think. I came closest to understanding what it means to be in love when I met Vesper. Then Camille showed me the danger of obsession without love…I do hope that girl found some peace."

"Tell me about Vesper."

"You really want to know?"

"Yes…I know what she did and I would have killed her myself if she hadn't drowned."

"Really? You would have put a hit out on my girlfriend? M I think your sentimentality is showing."

"I knew you were being played…once I found the trigger for her betrayal. I wanted to warn you when I visited you in hospital with Mathis but you never woke. Mathis thought she was genuine but I had my suspicions and looked into her more intently once I returned to London."

"You were there…I thought it was a dream…I thought Mathis betrayed us remember. I was horribly worried all through my trips into consciousness that Mathis had you and that he could hurt you but then I woke up and assumed it was the drugs interfering with my mind. You never told me…why?"

"It served no purpose for you to know that I rushed to your bed side and I had to figure out which one of them was in the pocket of the enemy."

"More wine M…Olivia?"

"Yes and there is another bottle out in the wine rack. You open it and put some music on while I load the dishwasher and bring in the dessert."

"Let me help you clear and then I will open the wine."

"Thank you James…it is oddly natural now, being domestic with you here in my home. Are you done being nervous?"

"Not really…I have more questions Olivia."

"I see…I will try to answer them and maybe we will discuss Vesper some more."

"There is not much more to tell."

"Here is the dessert take it out to the coffee table."

"This looks yummy M…sorry Olivia. That is taking time to get use too. I hope I don't slip up in the office."

"That is why we need to tell Tanner and Eve if we are going to attempt a relationship."

"Attempt…I think we are already in one M…it just has not crossed that very important line yet…"

"Well…you understand my trepidation."

"I still want to know what happened…my imagination gets away from me and I see red."

"It is not easy to talk about…I would prefer not too."

"It may help Olivia…did you speak of it to Ducky."

"I small ways but he didn't pry or want the details. He was more interested in the effects it was having on me at work and home…he was interested in what we got up to while you stayed here babysitting me."

"What did you tell him?"

"The truth of course. I said you slept with me if I woke up screaming but that we did not have a sexual relationship and we were both fine with that.

"You were fine with that…I took a lot of cold showers."

"Bond!"

"Ducky knew exactly how I felt about you before I even bloody well did. It was him that made me realize that rushing in to save the day was what I did because you are my damsel in distress."

"I don't like being labeled as a damsel in distress…I was actually in limited danger until after the Marine intervention. I would have managed the few days fine if we did not tip our hand and investigate them…but we did manage to expose the moles of Quantum within the American agencies."

"I guess they would have just stayed undercover…but once they reported your relatively unprotected location to White, he couldn't help but want to get his hands on you….damn it! Sorry M…I didn't mean it like that."

"He had me pulled up against him...his arm around my waist as he pushed me into the room and tossed me on the bed…I struggled against him but he pinned me to the bed and gradually worked my clothes off. The act itself…It didn't last long…the smug bastard kissed me after telling me how much he enjoyed me. I pushed him off me and gathered my clothes and ran to the bath…where you and Gibbs found me. That is basically what I remember of it…I know there are other details…he gripped my wrists tightly above my head and bit my skin…small tortures really. I felt so helpless and weak…that was the worst part. Stop looking like thunder James…he is gone now, you and I made sure of he was disposed of."

"I wanted to do it myself…break every digit…like Ducky breaking his finger when he spoke of you in the morgue at NCIS."

"Ducky did that!"

"He was taunting Ducky for having to patch his bullet wound and medicate him for pain…he asked how you were feeling…in that creepy way which made us think of him touching your skin and Ducky lost it…It shocked Gibbs and myself but we were hardly worried for the bastard…he deserved everything that happened to him…but slower and more painfully."

"In the end he is gone…I don't think he would have been much of a threat to me had he escaped…he got his revenge…rape is about power not desire."

"Not always M…not with megalomanics like White…he was flirting with you here in London after everything had happened."

"He was trying to throw me off…nothing more. Vesper he mentioned her to you in Italy before the shot rang out…I thought you were going to do him in there."

"He was trying to push my buttons but really his threats against you were far more relevant. I had already put the lying bitch in a place deep in my memory by then."

"White seemed to think Vesper loved you and so did Mathis…why do you not believe it?"

"The damn necklace…she always wore it until the day she went to her grave."

"That was a clue for you…that she was played by the man, just as others had been…by a con of love which for all intents and purposes she transferred to you despite her efforts not too. Vesper did attempt to resist your charms at first."

"Yes, she was a snarky little thing just like someone else I know…I wonder who she frustratingly reminded me of?"

"Please…as if you were thinking about me when she had her legs wrapped around you."

"Maybe not the entire time but the initial attraction was because she infuriatingly read and dismissed me just as you did in that office all those years ago…honestly M…I needed a good wank after we met the first time."

"Bond, really!"

"Yes, really…why do you always deny that I felt something for you regardless of your age. I must have convinced you by now…it only took three years."

"Fine…you were attracted to me…a married, post menopausal dwarf that orders you around and chastises you after every mission. James you have issues...serious issues."

"I know…To make matters worse and even more confusing I talked about it with the psychologist you were sleeping with…Ducky. Mother issues…all very freudian…even the initial M for you and mother."

"Ha ha ha….oh James…do be serious."

"I am serious M…Ducky pointed me your direction, he sensed it about me... in my drug induced pain filled stupor, realizing that the reason I was in DC was because of my deep emotions regarding you."

"Ducky is a very perceptive man. He made love to me and then pushed me towards you regardless of his feelings for me."

"Ducky fell for you fast and hard M…Olivia…did you tell him your real name?"

"Yes…the day after…"

"After you slept with him…minx. I am still amazed that you jumped into bed with him so quickly M…I mean I've wanted to get you there for what seems like forever."

"James…I liked him…I don't think you have the right to judge me for my actions."

"No, I don't but why?"

"Why did I jump into bed with a very nice, kind, caring doctor who looked after a complete stranger because of some old military oaths?"

"When you say it like that M it makes me want to sleep with him."

"James…Ducky told me it was love at first sight."

"I can totally understand that. What about you?"

"I was intrigued but clearly not deeply…not over Nigel. Ducky guessed that was the case and he was right."

"So you just wanted a one-off and he fell in love with you."

"No, I didn't actually expect it to only be a one-off…maybe a long weekend and some nice long distant conversations but..."

"But it rolled out of your control…his feelings became too intense but you handled it nicely. There are no hard feelings are there?"

"I don't think Ducky is happy…he did ask me to marry him and I said no…that must have hurt."

"That would kill me…if you said no."

"You wouldn't dare ask."

"I'm asking just by being here now M. I want a relationship with you and as you said I have never really been in love before. Now I would like the full experience."

"James…I am still unsure of all this and I know that patience is not really one of your virtues…are you sure you are willing to wait for an old lady to make up her mind and heal from her demons?"

"I will wait…I want all of this…I told you before…the domesticity is a turn on for me M. I have loved just being around you but I want sex…don't get me wrong."

"I told you that feelings were preventing me from hopping into bed with you…there is baggage between us James…I am still your boss and this is very inappropriate behaviour."

"So what…you need to heal and Ducky helped you over the hurdle of sex after widowhood and I will help you deal with White…I did deal with White for you. I will never let another touch you like that again for as long as I live."

"James…you cannot be here all the time. You do have a job to do once in a while."

"Yes, and when I am gone I will be putting Tanner on the case. You will not be alone…Tanner and Eve will keep an eye on you."

"So you are agreeing with me about telling the two of them?"

"I never disagreed. I want to tell the world but I don't think going on bended knee before you is going to get us to a church no matter how sweetly I ask."

"Ha ha you are right James it won't. I think it is best if you go home tonight Bond. I cannot have you here all the time…it will look bad."

"M…are you sure?"

"I need to be on my own for a while. I think I need to find a new flat."

"This one reminds you of him."

"Yes…I need the change."

"I will leave but what was this night all about M?"

"Conversation James."

"Conversation?"

"Conversation and taking things slow."

"Slow...how slow Olivia?"

"Slower than you are likely use to my dear boy."

"The reward at the end will be worth it. When the time comes...we will need a few days off."

"Oh really?"

"Yes...you will be far too tired to work my dear."

"You think a great deal of your abilities in that department James."

"No I think a great deal about your abilities Olivia and discovering them will be the delight of my career."

"Oh really James...we both needed these questions answered before going on, didn't we James?"

"Yes we did…did you get the answers that you needed M?"

"Yes, dear boy I think I did."

"Can I take you out to dinner tomorrow night?"

"I think that would be nice James."

"Good…It's a date then."

"Goodnight James."

"Goodnight Olivia…may I give you a kiss?"

"Yes, you may James."

"That was sweeter than dessert Olivia. Until tomorrow, my love."

"Until tomorrow James."

Fin.