The ringing of the phone pulled Ruth from her most recent translations. Sliding the headphones from her ears she reached out a hand and snagged the headset. Lifting it to her ear, she managed a quick hello before she heard the tired and annoyed voice of her husband.

"Ruth have you requested the file on James Moran from registry yet?"

"Last night. I left it on your desk before leaving."

Looking around at the various files and folders, Harry frowned. "I can't find it."

Looking up from her computer, she watched as he searched through the papers. "It's under the stapler."

"Under the stapler," he muttered, his eyes scanning the wooden surface.

"To your right," she said quietly, "next to the monitor."

"How'd it get there?"

"I put it there."

"Why?" Before she could answer, Harry found the folder. Lifting it, he began looking over the contents; eyes scanning the meager offering of documents. Frowning as he reached the end, he turned back a page. "The transcripts from the phone call GCHQ intercepted last week aren't in here."

"I haven't had a chance to transcribe them yet. GCHQ sent over the voice files this morning."

"Get started on them now then. We need them before our next briefing."

Looking at the clock, Ruth frowned; not realizing how late it had gotten. Their next sonogram appointment was in less than an hour. "Harry..."

"Oh, and I need you to call our contact for William Sampson and schedule an appointment for Fiona and I. Preferably for tomorrow morning."

"Harry..."

Hearing a click and then dead air, Ruth pulled the headset away and looked at it before glancing up at the office, a frown settling on her face. He'd hung up on her. She knew the past few weeks and the coming election were getting to him but this was getting ridiculous. Pushing her chair back, Ruth stood and crossed to his door, her hands smoothing down the lightweight jumper she wore. Sliding it open, she stepped into the room.

"Harry we need..."

"Did you call Sampson and schedule an appointment?" he asked, not looking up from the file he was reading.

"No but..."

"I need you to do that now. Fiona and I need time to prep before the meeting."

"Harry would you just..."

"Ruth please, I need that appointment."

Getting frustrated at the constant interruptions, she took a step further into the room. "Harry really we ne..."

"Not now Ruth." As his phone rang, he spared a glance at her before answering it. "Harry Pearce."

Taking a deep breath to calm her rising blood pressure, she watched him a moment before he waved her away. Walking out the door, she stopped herself from doing the childish thing of slamming it shut and made her way to the forgery suite.

"Malcolm?" she called out, pausing in the doorway.

"Yes Ruth?"

Smiling at him as he slid out from behind the computer, she stepped over to him. "I need you to do me a favor."

"Of course."

"Harry is demanding an appointment with William Sampson tomorrow morning, and I don't have time to call."

"Any specific time?" he asked, taking out a pen to jot down the name.

"Not from the great and powerful Oz but his lowly secretary says make it as early as humanly possible."

Glancing up at her tone, he fought back a small smile. "Don't take it personal; he's under a lot of pressure with this election coming up."

"Bully for him. I'm tired of being his proverbial punching bag and personal assistant as he deals with this latest crisis." Shaking her head, she stopped. "And I'm sorry, this isn't any of your concern."

"Quite alright. If you ever need to talk, I am here." he said, lying his hand on her arm.

"Thank you." Looking at her watch, she sighed. "I have to go or I'm going to miss my appointment. Will you let him know what time his meeting is?"

Reaching for the phone, Malcolm nodded his consent. "And if he asks why I'm doing it instead of you?"

"Tell him to look at his diary."

Stepping into the empty waiting room, Ruth settled into a chair and pulled out her phone.

No missed calls.

With a sigh, she put the phone back in her purse before leaning her head back and closed her eyes.

It looked like Harry was going to miss another one of their appointments. So far, he'd missed them all; even when she'd managed to reschedule them to try and fit his schedule better. Between investigating the bombing that had killed Danny and the upcoming elections, his diary had been a hodgepodge of double and triple meetings. More so since they had managed to plant the bug in Anders flat.

The fact that he hadn't made any of the appointments upset her; she wouldn't deny it; but she also understood the pressure he was under. She also knew the fact he'd missed them all upset him a great deal and seeing her upset would only further that.

She could understand his frustration.

Both with the missed appointments and with the stress at work.

But it didn't excuse the way he'd been treating her the past week. Busy or not, he'd become a grumpy sod. One she had rarely seen aside from across the grid or for a few scant hours when he finally made it home to sleep and shower.

Hand sliding over her bump, she took a deep, calming breath like the book had said. Her last appointment, the doctor had expressed some concern over her blood pressure and suggested not only watching the salt intake of her diet but also her stress level.

Harry and his constant requests hadn't been helping the latter.

Fingers stroking in a gentle circle, she thought about more calming, positive thoughts.

Like her planned evening of doing nothing but reading Homer. With Scarlett and Fidget. Stretched across the couch of her reading room.

And no Harry.

Perhaps she'd take Scarlett for a long walk after dinner. To that park near the house where she liked to chase the squirrels. It'd been awhile since they'd been there.

Maybe take a nice, long bath before bed.

She was pulled from her thoughts by a hand settling over hers; of lips brushing against her cheek. Opening her eyes, she turned her head and starred.

Settling into the chair next to her, Harry kept his hand over hers as he met her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Whatever for?" A sarcastic undertone filling her voice. "You made it."

"Ruth that's not ..."

Cutting him off, she turned back to the room. "Don't say it unless you mean it."

Arm sliding behind her shoulders, he leaned close to her ear. "I am sorry. I know I've been taking you for granted the past few weeks."

Turning, she met his eyes as their noses brushed. "I'm your senior analyst who also happens to be your wife. I'm not your secretary or personal assistant."

"I know," he said softly, "I'm not seeing you as my secretary or personal assistant. Rather I see you as the one person on both the Grid and at home that I can explicitly trust. And sometimes I forget not to take advantage of that."

"Harry..."

Leaning forward, he captured her lips in a gentle kiss. "I'm sorry. And I love you."

"I love you too. Even when you are being an insufferable sod."

"Mrs. Pearce?"

Both turned at the sound of her name. Standing, Harry offered her his hand and gently pulled her to her feet.

"How are you feeling today Ruth?"

Settled on the exam table, Ruth watched the doctor read over her chart. "Alright. A bit nauseous at night or whenever someone has a coffee."

From his seat next to her, Harry frowned at the new piece of information. "You never said anything."

"You've been busy with work." she said, turning to look at him. "And getting home later than normal. It was nothing to worry you with."

"I do worry about you. And the peanuts. Constantly. Please don't keep things from me."

"I wasn't actively keeping it from you."

"Right," said the doctor, putting down the chart and picking up the tube of gel, "I don't think the nausea is anything to worry about but if it gets worse, we'll try some medicine."

Redness rose to her cheeks as Ruth turned towards the doctor; embarrassed at having a disagreement in front of the doctor. "Sorry." she said softly.

Laughing, the doctor smiled at her. "Nothing to be sorry for. You'd be amazed at the things people disagree about when they're sitting here. I do have someone in labor though so I hope you'll forgive me if I move the appointment along."

"Of course." Harry said, taking Ruth's hand in his.

"This will be cold." Lifting her shirt, the doctor squeezed the gel onto her bump. Taking the wand in her hand, the doctor adjusted the screen until the image came into focus. As she moved pressed the device into Ruth's stomach, she smiled. "Both fetus look to be growing well. And I think we may be able to tell the genders, if you're interested?"

"Please."

Nodding, the doctor adjusted the image on the screen before smiling. As she moved the image closer on the first fetus, she used a finger to point at the screen where you could see the clear development of genitalia. "Well, this little guy isn't shy."

"Sounds like his father." Ruth said, smiling as she looked over at her husband.

Harry stared in amazement as the image cleared, his hand squeezing Ruth's. He'd missed all these appointments with his first two children. "We're having a boy?"

"We can never be one hundred percent sure until the birth but yes, it looks as though the first one is a boy." Shifting the image, the doctor tried to focus in on the second baby. A few minutes went by as she tried to get a clear image. "It looks like this one is a bit camera shy. They're hiding behind their brother and I can't get a clear image, I'm sorry."

"But they're healthy?" Ruth asked, looking up at the doctor.

"Yes, both look to be where they should be at this stage of development. 17 weeks can be hit or miss when it comes to determining the gender and the baby has to be willing to cooperate. I do want to keep monitoring them though. Your blood pressure was a bit high again today. When you come back for your next sonogram, we should be able to tell both."

Printing out a picture, the doctor handed it to them before apologizing and leaving the room. Taking a tissue, Ruth cleaned her stomach as Harry continued to stare at the sonogram. As she swung her legs to the side of the table, Harry looked up and smiled at her. "We're having a boy."

"Maybe two." she said with her own smile.

Standing, Harry helped her down from the table. "No, it's a boy and a girl."

"We don't know that yet."

"I have a feeling." Lying a hand against her bump, he met her eyes. "Our little girl is being a proper little lady and not sharing things that shouldn't be shared until she'd thirty."

"Harry!"

Leaning forward, he brushed his lips against hers. "We can disagree about it over a quiet dinner at home."

AN: Sorry for the delay in getting this up, I've been going through some things and haven't felt much like writing. Hopefully it won't be as long between this update and the next.