Six:
In the Light of Day
Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. She felt Harry begin to awaken by the abrupt change in his breathing, the way he shifted a little, the way his arm tightened around her. She felt warm, safe, loved, for the first time in ages. And it was all down to him.
She sighed, still drowsy, and cuddled up with him. "G'morning," Ruth mumbled.
"Mmm," was his barely coherent reply. Then, after a moment, he inhaled sharply as if getting his bearings and realizing that she was there. "God's balls," he breathed, "I was half afraid yesterday was a dream."
She smiled and kissed his collarbone, as it was the closest part of him to be kissed. "Not a dream," she murmured. "Or, if it is, it's a very good one."
"I don't want it to be a dream," he mumbled, breathing deeply, inhaling the scent of her hair. "I want to be awake and you still to be here… and us to have really made love last night."
She smiled and replied, "Oh, we definitely did that. And I'm still here."
"What time is it?" he asked.
"About six-thirty, I think," she murmured. "Jamie will be up about seven. He's usually not up when I'm heading to work."
"What time's that?" he asked, stifling a yawn.
"I'm usually out the door by six to get to work before the traffic goes mad," Ruth replied. "What happened to my five am Harry wake up call, by the way?"
He mumbled, "My office hours are nine to seven, but I'm usually there till nine or later. So I tend to sleep till seven now."
"Oh," she said softly. "Getting old?" she teased.
"No, just… tired."
"Semantics," she murmured. "I'd better get up and dressed before Jamie comes barreling in."
"No, don't leave yet," Harry sighed. "Erin can take care of him."
"Harry, it's her job to protect him, not act as his mum," she scolded softly. "You can have me again tonight – and every night."
"Promise?" he asked hopefully.
"I promise," she murmured, giving him a light kiss. "Now, up and into the shower with me, and you should probably get on the phone and order some soft boiled eggs and soldiers – you'll be Jamie's best friend for life if you do."
There was a noise that sounded suspiciously like something – someone – running into the door. Then a whimper, and a plaintive whine. "Mummy, can I come in?" Jamie asked.
Ruth got out of bed in a hurry and wrapped one of the hotel's dressing gowns around her naked body, very cognizant of Harry watching her through hooded eyelids. She gave him a scolding look, then went to the door. "Jamie, love, mummy and daddy were still asleep," she said softly.
He pouted. "But mummy… it's time for breakfast. And I already got dressed."
"Okay, well, mummy and daddy aren't dressed yet," she said. "We just woke up, love."
He pouted more, then pushed right past her and hopped up onto the bed. "Daddy, get up!" he insisted. "It's breakfast time now!"
Harry groaned and pretended to hide under his pillow. Jamie poked him and giggled when Harry made a sound like a rumbly bear, then grabbed the little boy in a bear hug. Jamie squealed and squealed as Harry kissed him over and over again, then released him. "I'm up, I'm up," Harry assured Jamie. "Can you give mummy and me a few minutes to get ready for breakfast?"
Jamie sighed. "Do I gotta?"
"Yes, please," Harry said reasonably. "I haven't got any clothes on, and we don't want Miss Erin to get embarrassed."
"Oh," Jamie said. "Why don't you have clothes on, daddy?"
"Because it was very warm in here last night," Harry said. "Now, scoot – go tell Miss Erin what you want for breakfast. I bet it's eggs and soldiers, isn't it?"
"How did you know?" Jamie asked, eyes wide.
"Because that's what I like in the morning, too," Harry said with a smile. "Go on. Go tell Miss Erin. Mummy and I will be out in a few minutes."
Jamie scurried off the bed and out of the room. Harry looked at Ruth and smiled. "How did you –" she began, but stopped herself. "No, I'm going to go take a shower. Are you coming with?"
He all but sprang out of bed in all of his naked glory, and she fought a blush as she looked him up and down. He grinned and said, "Like what you see, Lady Pearce?"
"Oh, Sir Harry, it's a good thing I don't work for you any longer," she teased back. "That might be classified as sexual harassment."
"Oh, I'll show you sexual harassment –"
She rolled her eyes and headed toward the bathroom, secretly pleased that he was following behind her closely. When she slipped out of her robe and turned around, he was right there, crushing his lips to hers. "God, Harry, let me go to the loo at least," she laughed. "We've got the rest of our lives to love each other – but Jamie's waiting on us and he's three years old and not very patient."
He pouted, and it made her realize just how much Jamie looked like him. "But –"
"Shower, now," Ruth said in her best 'mummy says' voice. "Later, we can have a nap of the adult variety when the young master takes his."
Of course, the moment they both got in the shower, it was no holds barred – and the sex was fast and frightfully intense. "Good god," Ruth panted when it was all over. "Harry –"
"I need you," he replied, equally breathless. "Like air in my lungs, Ruth –"
She kissed him gently and murmured, "Then we should get up earlier."
He grinned at her and helped her wash up.
By the time she got out to the breakfast table, Jamie was already eating. "Miss Erin got me breakfast," he announced. "Acause you and daddy took a very long time."
Ruth looked at Erin and felt a blush rising into her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she said.
"I ordered up a pot of coffee and some hot tea," Erin said. "And your daughters will be here in a few minutes."
"Thank you," Ruth said.
Harry came out of the bedroom, looking a bit disheveled without his tie. "Ruth, do you remember where I left my tie?" he asked. "Good morning, Ms. Watts – I trust that our Jamie hasn't been too troublesome?"
"He's a very well-behaved boy, sir," Erin said.
"Can you scare up a pot of coffee and a pot of tea?" Harry asked. "And make sure my children are joining us for breakfast –"
"Already done," Erin said.
Harry smiled wanly. "You'd best stop anticipating my every move," he said. "We're going out shopping later; the team will want to be inconspicuous. We'll start at Macy's, then Barney's, and lunch inbetween at Perbacco – the reservation was made in advance, under the Home Secretary's name. Dinner will be here at the hotel, and Ruth and I will be going out for drinks and dessert afterward."
"Uh, no, Harry, I'll be staying in and spending time with my children," Ruth said firmly.
He paused and looked at Erin. "The schedule is tentative," he finally said.
The door to the suite opened and Rose called, "Is everyone up? We're ready to go when you are – after breakfast, of course."
The girls breezed in, dressed for the day and looking very happy. Rose stopped by Jamie at the table and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He smiled up at her and said, "Hi, Rosie."
"Good morning, Jamie," she replied. "Did you sleep well?"
"Uh-huh," he said. "I gots eggs and soldiers, Rosie."
"So you do," Rose said with a smile. "Eat up so you can get big and strong like dad, okay?" She walked up to Ruth and gave her a big hug. "Hi, mum," she murmured.
"Hello, love," Ruth said softly.
Daisy held back, avoiding Jamie and circling straight around Ruth to her father. "Dad, can I skip shopping and go to the MoMA instead?" she asked.
"Can we go to the museum tomorrow?" Harry asked with a sigh.
"I want to go alone," she protested.
Harry relented. "All right," he said. "But your officers go with you."
Daisy rolled her eyes. "I know," she muttered. She ignored her mother completely and got herself a cup of tea, then left the room.
Harry just stood there, not believing really that Daisy was being so rude. "Ruth, I'm sorry –"
"No, it's okay," Ruth assured him, even though her heart was aching. "She's obviously upset. I don't want to make it worse."
"You're her mother –"
Rose spoke up quietly. "She's feeling a little out of sorts – she just wants to go to the museum and collect her thoughts, dad."
Harry made a noise of disapproval, then grunted. "You don't want to escape," he pointed out.
"Well, no, but then again, you're the one with a black card," Rose reminded him, "and I'm dying for some new things."
Harry rolled his eyes. "One of these days, Rose…"
Jamie said, "We're getting books, right?"
"Of course we are, love," Ruth promised softly. "We'll go get new books, too, but you need new shoes and new pants."
"Can I have clothes like daddy?" Jamie asked.
Rose smiled. "I'm sure we can find something like dad's suit for you, Jamie – and mum will think you're the most handsome man in all the world."
Jamie grinned at her. "Okay," he chirped, going back to his food.
Harry said, "We should probably not waste time with breakfast and just get going –"
"Nowhere will be open yet," Ruth reasoned. "Let's order up some food and eat."
When they returned from shopping, Daisy was asleep on the sofa in the Presidential suite. Jamie ran over to her and said, "Daisy, Daisy, I got new books. Will you read to me?"
Daisy blinked at him and yawned. "Okay," she agreed.
He climbed up onto the sofa with her and held up the little bag of books he'd been carrying. Harry Bear was sticking up out the top of the bag, and Daisy said, "Why do you love this bear so much?"
"Acause he's there when daddy isn't," Jamie replied. He got a book out of the bag and said, "This one, please, Daisy."
Ruth held back, watching her daughter read to her younger brother, and eventually, she walked away. Harry was waiting for her in the master bedroom, surrounded by bags. "My wallet may never recover," he teased her.
"I'll just have to go back to work, then," she murmured, giving him a kiss. "Of course, I didn't need all of this –"
"No, but you wanted it, and that's enough," he said with a sheepish smile.
"You can't just go buying me everything I want," she scolded.
"Why not?" Harry asked.
Why not, indeed. He'd spoiled them all positively rotten. Jamie had his new clothes and shoes and books besides. Ruth had new, nice clothes – and a couple of pieces of new lingerie. Rose had gotten new boots a necklace, and an armload of books. Harry had spotted a tie he had to have. It had been a good shopping excursion. And lunch had been fabulous in the middle of it all.
"Because we'll start to expect it," she said. "And complacency breeds contempt –"
He sighed. "I tend to overdo things now," Harry admitted. "Since the girls were in danger, I mean. God. I can't – Ruth – "
He was struggling to stay above water, she could tell. "Harry, it's okay," she whispered, pulling him into her arms. "It is. We're all here, we're all okay. You can spoil us any time you want, my love –"
"They were almost killed because of me –"
"Harry, look at me," Ruth said sharply, directing his chin so he would face her head on. "You cannot blame yourself anymore for what happened. You will make yourself sick. They are here, they are safe, and they are physically – if not mentally – well." She kissed him very gently and whispered, "You did what you said you would; you were the father to them that you never could be to Catherine and Graham."
He pulled out of her arms and pushed the door shut, throwing the lock with a click. "I'm DG because the former DG was colluding with Nicholas Blake and an organization called Nightingale. They had every intention of taking over the world." Harry looked at her and said, "Mani was working with Blake, attempting to secure the uranium in order to create a dirty bomb to take out most of London. I would not have let that happen, even at the cost of the lives of our children, Ruth. I almost allowed them to be killed to protect millions – and I feel like the worst father in the world because of it." He exhaled weakly and said, "They could have killed me, and it would've been preferable to this living hell. Neither of them should trust me anymore. You shouldn't trust me."
"Well, sorry," Ruth said, "because I do. Implicitly."
The tension in his shoulders grew worse. "Nightingale orchestrated that last major India/Pakistan conflict, and blew up the hotel where the peace talks were being held," he said quietly. "Andrew Lawrence, the Home Secretary, died." He took a deep, shuddering breath. "Ros and Lucas got the Pakistani representative out, but couldn't reach Lawrence in time. Both sustained injuries; Ros has only now been cleared to come back to work. She blames herself; I blame myself." He ran his hand over his face. "I visited Nicholas and he confessed, more or less. I was wearing a wire. Grantham was forced to resign immediately and I was thrown to the wolves on the seventh floor."
She reached up and rubbed his back. "I'm sorry," Ruth said softly. "I knew it had to have been bad, but I wasn't prepared for this level of… bad."
"You should run away from me," he said. "Take the children; get a divorce, run away as fast as you can."
"No," she said simply. "I won't."
"I can't promise that I won't have to make that decision again –"
"Then you make it," she said, her rebuke sharp. "But don't you dare sit here, worrying about things that may never come to pass. Okay? We're here. We're safe for now. Just… stop blaming yourself."
He exhaled shakily and said, "I can't stop."
She frowned. "I'm sorry, Harry." She rubbed his shoulder one more time, then left him to his broken thoughts.
END PART SIX