Thanks once again to everyone who is continuing to read this story and a special thanks to everyone who makes time to review. It's nice to know people are reading and enjoying this. Now on we go...

xxxx

"Ruth... Ruth, are you okay?" George's voice was filled with concern as he took in the scene in front of him, Ruth and a man he was sure he hadn't seen before, both looking at each other in a state of shocked bemusement.

Ruth belatedly heard George's voice from the side of her and nodded her head, her eyes still fixed on Harry who was standing looking at her, appearing almost as shocked as she presumed she was at that moment. "I erm... I think so," she uttered quietly, while her mind started racing at a hundred miles an hour. Was something wrong? How had he found her? Was she in danger? Was this just all a bizarre coincidence? Was it really Harry?

"Are you sure? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Ruth turned to face him briefly, "I'm fine honestly," she quickly checked back to see if Harry was still stood where she had last seen him, still half convinced that he was a trick of her imagination and would disappear the second she took her eyes off him. "You go back inside, I'll be back in soon, I just need too..."

George gestured over towards Harry who was still standing in the same spot. "Is this something to do with him?"

"Please George," Ruth looked at him again briefly, "go back inside." Her heart was beating faster as Harry continued to hold his ground making no attempt to come to her, "I'll come in shortly," she reiterated. Not waiting for his answer she started to make her way over to where Harry stood, just inside the entrance to the hospital grounds. He looked well she conceded to herself and there was a small hint of a smile on his face which made the whorls of anxiety in her stomach settle slightly, he wouldn't be smiling if there was any danger surely. When she was within a few feet of him she stopped. "Harry..." she began.

"Hello Ruth."

She looked around quickly, still half expecting to see people running towards her, find herself trapped. "What are you... I mean how did you... Why are you here?"

Harry took the last question knowing they all accounted to pretty much the same thing. "I came to find you." He answered simply.

"I don't understand, as far as you're concerned I'm supposed to be dead!" She stuttered, her words falling over each other as she tried to get a grasp on the situation.

He smiled gently at her, taking in her overall appearance. "You look very well for a dead person."

"Harry!"

He took a step or two closer to her, "it's fine, its all over."

"What do you mean it's all over? It can't be..."

Harry smiled again in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. Ruth looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights, looks of shock, surprise, anger, happiness all running across her face simultaneously. He hadn't expected her to run into his arms, but he had been hoping for a slightly warmer welcome. He glanced over to where the Doctor was still stood watching them, watching Ruth he realised suddenly as a wave of jealousy went through him. "Is there somewhere we can talk?" He looked at George pointedly, "somewhere quiet where we won't be disturbed."

Ruth ignored his question. "How can it all be over?" she whispered to herself, a thundering sound echoing through her head which she belatedly realised was panic; she took a few deep breaths to try and calm herself and distance herself from the situation. before lifting her hand to her mouth as Harry's words finally started to sink in. "Is it really all over?"

He nodded. "It really is all over," he reassured her, "and I promise you that you're not in any danger. I wouldn't be here if I thought that was even a possibility."

Ruth looked down at the ground trying to get her jumbled thoughts into some kind of order. Her brain, usually so used to making sense out of the abstract, was struggling to keep up with what was happening and the implications around Harry's words. "I just … I don't..." she swallowed, trying to find her voice, but yet not quite knowing what to say.

"Come with me Ruth." Harry urged, recognising her responses having witnessed other people being brought back from deep cover over the years. The sense of bewilderment coming from Ruth was palpable. "We need to go somewhere private to talk and then I can explain everything."

Ruth took a few more deep breaths while she considered her answer, "I can't," she said at length, knowing that she needed time to herself to get her head around Harry's revelations. "Not yet anyway."

"You can't?"

Ruth looked at him, feeling her heart rate returning to something like normal while she did so. "I'm at work," she explained briefly, feeling it was as good as an excuse as any to get her some time alone. "I only came outside to get a breath of fresh air and then all this... you happened. Did you know I worked here?"

"Yes," Harry nodded, "but in all honesty, I'd briefly forgotten. I was just on my way to the waterfront." He grinned ruefully at her, "I was trying to work out exactly what I was going to say to you when I saw you... you caught me by surprise suddenly walking out of that door."

Ruth smiled swiftly, despite his outward appearance, he was clearly as affected by seeing her again as she was him; his face always was at its most inscrutable when he was under significant pressure. "How did you find me?"

Harry glanced at George again. "It's a long story... there's an awful lot I have to tell you, there will be a lot for you to take in."

"But you're absolutely sure I'm not in any danger?" She reiterated her earlier comments as another wave of panic suddenly overtook her.

"No, no danger at all... although I feel I may be."

Ruth looked at him curiously, not understanding. "I'm sorry?"

"Your doctor friend." Harry indicated over towards George where he was still stood watching them intently, though far enough away that he wouldn't be able to hear their conversation.

Ruth turned around quickly noticing that Harry was right and sighed inwardly. "He's just worried, that's all."

"About you?"

"Harry... I haven't seen you for a long time, I never expected to see you again. I was a little startled when I first saw you and George has obviously picked up on that."

"You're close to him?" He queried, knowing he had no real right to ask the question and not really knowing whether he actually wanted to hear her answer.

Ruth sighed, they hadn't seen each other for nearly two years, she still had no real idea what he was doing here and despite what he said, after spending twenty months in exile she was still scared of being found and yet here they were, dancing around things once again as if nothing had changed. "He's a friend," she said quietly, "they've been rather in short supply over the last couple of years." She added with an edge to her voice.

Harry looked down at his feet shamefaced, "I'm sorry," he apologised quietly. "This must all be a huge shock to you... and as you can probably guess, my plan of what I should actually say to you hadn't got much past hello."

She smiled slightly at the obvious truth in his words. "I still don't really understand what's happening here Harry."

"Like I said."

"Yes, I know we need to talk... but this isn't either the time or the place."

"Surely you can get off work?"

Ruth shook her head. "They're short staffed, that's why I'm working today."

"But..."

"But nothing Harry." She looked at him, willing him to understand that she needed time alone to try and make sense of everything that had been said in the last ten minutes. "I finish at three this afternoon. Why don't you come by this evening and I'll make us something to eat and we can talk then... I take it you're not flying back just yet?"

Harry shook his head, "my flight is scheduled for Monday."

"Well come by about six and we can go over everything then. We won't be disturbed that way."

"Six?"

She nodded, "I'm presuming since you know where I work, you also already know where I live?"

"That was my first port of call this morning." Harry admitted.

"Well then I'll see you tonight."

"Are you sure you can't finish now," he made one last try to persuade her, not sure that he could wait that long to see her again. "It's just clerical work you do I believe? Surely that can wait?"

"Harry", she bit out angrily, before noticing the anguished look on his face and softening her tone. "I know we need to speak, but I've got a lot to get my head around already and I don't know the half of it, I need a little time."

Impulsively he stepped forward and took her hand briefly, want to feel her skin on his if only for a moment. "Okay, tonight it is." he agreed. "You're looking well," he added with a smile, "I'm glad."

She nodded looking at him up and down. "You too, I'm glad to see you managed not to get shot in my absence."

Harry bit his lip at her words, there would be time enough for talking this evening. Ruth was probably right, she usually was he thought to himself wryly, they could both do with a little space to get their heads around seeing each other again. He squeezed her hand once more before letting it go, "I'll see you tonight then." He promised softly, turning away from her.

She smiled at him. "Tonight." She confirmed. "Oh and Harry..." she added as he started to walk away, "I really am glad to see you again."

"You should phone Harry." Connie said, following Adam back to Harry's office. "He said to keep him informed."

"There is absolutely no reason to speak with him." Adam said firmly. "Everything is under control."

Connie looked at him over her reading glasses, her face not masking her thoughts. "He's been out of the country five minutes and you've restored Lucas to active duty, despite what Harry has said about that over the last few days."

"In case you haven't noticed, we're short-staffed at the moment Connie. So unless you fancy getting back into your field clobber and out from behind a desk then..."

"Don't be impertinent Adam, it doesn't suit you."

Adam raised his eyebrows at her comment and bit back a smile. He'd often thought that Connie spoke to Harry like she was his big sister and now he was getting the same treatment, only this time it was the disapproving Aunt. "Lucas needs to be back in the field," he explained patiently, not for the first time that day. "It's the only way he's going to find out if he's still got what it takes and it'll focus his mind against what he's just been through."

"Harry wouldn't approve."

"Well Harry's not here." Connie opened her mouth to speak again and he continued speaking quickly, "and neither I, nor anyone else will be ringing him unless there is an absolute need to." Adam looked down at Connie who had a disapproving look on her face. "Is that clear?"

"But..."

"No buts. Harry hasn't had time off in a long time and deserves in now. The last thing he needs when he's hopefully trying to square things with Ruth, is to be called about every minor detail here."

"I'd hardly call this a minor detail." Connie huffed. "Lucas is still far too close to Arkady Kachimov if you want my opinion."

"I don't." Adam said with a quick grin, lightening the harshness of his words. "Look Connie, whether you agree with it or not, Harry left me in charge of the Section. Kaplan is still pretty green despite the aptitude he's shown over the last few months; having someone like Lucas partner up with him over the next couple of days will be useful... Plus with Jo and Harry away for various reasons it's good to have him back. And as for his relationship with Kachimov, close isn't the word I'd use."

"Well I still think..." What ever else Connie was going to say was lost as Adam's phone started ringing and he turned away quickly, sighing in dismay when he saw the name on the screen.

"Harry," he said quickly, "is everything okay?" He could see Connie's ears prick up as Harry began to speak and he berated himself internally for using his name. In his opinion, Connie was far too curious for her own good and for some reason, which he had yet to discover, seemed to have an unhealthy interest in Lucas and his Russian captors. "And is she okay?" he continued the conversation, smiling when he heard Harry's answer. "Here? Yes all's fine. We've done multiple sweeps of the Cenotaph and Kaplan is out with Jones, Armstrong and a couple of others trying to track down Private Sullivan. ….. No, nothing else is happening, it's all under control... Harry, honestly, there's nothing at all for you to worry about... I'm going to say goodbye now and I don't expect to hear from you again until I see you back here sometime Monday, or later if you decide to stay longer." he added with a cheeky grin. "Yes goodbye Harry and say hello to Ruth from me." He disconnected the call and looked straight at Connie's accusatory gaze. "What?"

"You know what."

"I meant it Connie, as far as Harry is concerned, unless Armageddon happens, then he hears nothing from us. Is that understood?"

"It that's what you insist on." she said frostily, mutiny in her eyes for a moment. "I take from what I overheard that he's found her?"

"Ruth?" He nodded, glad to be on slightly safer ground. "He has, they're meeting later."

"Is that it?"

Adam shrugged. "He didn't say much else. Now unless there's anything else Connie, I have work to be getting on with even if you don't."

Ruth was staring out of the window watching people milling past on the pathways outside the hospital but not really taking anything in. Her mind was in turmoil and although she had insisted with Harry that she needed time to get her head around his sudden reappearance and the apparent realisation that for some reason she no longer needed to be in exile, she had realised quickly once she'd gone back inside the hospital, that she had made the wrong decision. She had a multitude of questions flying through her head and no way of getting any answers until she saw Harry tonight. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a deep voice.

"Penny for them?"

"Sorry?" She turned round, slightly bemused.

"A penny for your thoughts." George was leaning against the doorframe a look of concern on his face. She had brushed off his questions earlier in the day while he'd fortunately been quickly distracted by a patient emergency leaving her largely to her own devices... which had involved a lot of thinking and not much actual work.

She smiled weakly. "Sorry, I'm a little slow on the uptake today."

"Is everything all right Ruth... that man who was here earlier, he wasn't threatening you?"

"Threatening me!" Ruth let out an unconscious snort of laughter. "No, not at all."

"Well then?"

She sighed, knowing he deserved an explanation, but not wanting to give too much away. "He's someone I knew a long time ago, we were close. I never thought I'd see him again, that's all."

"You were lovers?"

"What? No," Ruth said firmly, slightly taken aback by his directness. "We used to work together, he was my boss."

"I thought.. The way you looked at each other," he began, before changing his line of questioning. "You never did tell me what you did for work in England?" he asked curiously.

"No I didn't." she said quietly.

He sensed that now was not the time to push her and quickly changed the subject. "You're still coming over for dinner this evening?" he asked. "Nico is looking forward to seeing you again."

Her face fell quickly. "I completely forgot. I can't, I'm sorry." She looked up at him hoping he'd understand. "I need to see Harry tonight, we need to talk."

"Harry..." George looked straight at her, suddenly no longer leaning against the door frame but rather stood up straight. "Harry, the man you told me about a couple of weeks ago?"

Ruth closed her eyes as she realised her own stupidity; over dinner one evening George had told her about his late wife and though she had largely skirted around any details when replying to his questions, she had admitted that the man she had loved and lost had been called Harry. "Yes, but..."

"You've just told me that you weren't lovers?"

"It was complicated." She said with a deep sigh, rueing her decision to try and be honest with him. "In fact, complicated, as a word, really doesn't do justice to what Harry and I were."

Harry retraced his steps of earlier that morning as he made his way to Ruth's flat, clutching the documentation he'd brought with him and two bottles of wine, one red and one white, not knowing which she preferred nowadays. He'd spent the afternoon walking and thinking, enjoying the feeling of sunshine on his face, but simultaneously fretting about the evening ahead, Ruth and the goings on of the Grid in London. His worries on that front had been lessened by a quick call to Adam, leaving him with far too much time to ponder on the evening ahead.

He reached her door five minutes earlier than the time she'd stipulated and wondered whether to take a quick turn around the nearby square or to knock early. The nerves he'd felt earlier in the day had doubled in their intensity and he took a deep breath trying to calm himself down; he'd even worried about what to wear, something which had never concerned him in the past, finally settling on a pair of dark trousers, a blue shirt and a blazer, as though the days were still warm the nights were noticeably cooler. His decision was taken out of his hands as before doing anything the door opened as though Ruth been looking out for his arrival and she appeared, smiling shyly at him. "Hi," she said quietly.

He smiled warmly back at her in lieu of a greeting, quickly proffering the wine towards her. "These are for you," he offered, "my contribution to the meal."

"Thank you," she murmured with a gentle grin, as she stood back from her doorway, "please come in..."

TBC