A little late for the festive session, I know ...This is my first fic set post 8.1 so rather nervous and would really appreciate comments :-)
Mistakes all mine
2 weeks till Christmas
There wasn't a touch of tinsel anywhere on the grid. The team had other things to occupy their minds than the festivities of Christmas so It wasn't till Tariq casually mentioned he'd need to leave early next week to see family, that Harry had given that day more than a moment's thought.
"Of course Tariq."
"That goes for me as well, if that's ok." Grumbled Ros.
"Off somewhere nice?" Harry returned.
"My mother's." she replied deadpan.
Harry felt an uncomfortable tension run through his body. It wasn't solely his fault her father would spend the next 2 decades of Christmas' at Her Majesties pleasure, leaving Ros and her mum alone together, and yet, a vein of guilt still coursed through him. He gave a simple nod and was quick to dismiss the meeting.
That morning Harry watched glimpses of Ruth at her desk and a relentless question entered his mind. 'What wasshedoing for Christmas?' Would it be inappropriate to offer to spend it with him?It was only six months ago in that darkened warehouse she'd watched George's execution and looked him straight in the eye, casting him a 'heartless bastard' with a pureness of revulsion that still crushed and tore him up inside, a pain that was re-enacted with perfect clarity as he reminisced .
Despite what had pasted, they did have history and, in the last few months, through forgiveness, Jo's tragic death, and the general daily trials on the grid they'd grown much closer and perhaps, just perhaps, it'd be what they both needed, if he wasn't too presumptuous in assuming she'd not got plans already.
1 week till Christmas
Still, Harry had yet to ask Ruth over. He felt a teenage nervousness every time he contemplated it and always lost his usual assertiveness to some other task at hand.
3days till Christmas
Ruth was handing over the Intel to Harry on a terrorist cell they're been monitoring.
"I've crossed matched the data and re-ran the video feeds we received from our asset in Peckham, There's no need for immediate worry, mainly a group of disillusioned students planning some low level pranks. I've passed it on to Scotland Yard, they'll be able to pick things up from here. So fingers crossed, things will be quiet next week."
Harry scoffed. "And there's me losing faith in humanity..." She gave a questioning frown. "...it would seem even terrorists, anarchists and crooked politicians are polite enough close down their escapades for the holiday season, almost touching."
"Yes well, don't go jinking it." she laughed and turned to leave his office.
"Ruth." Harry snapped out of his professional musings. It was either now, or he'd never build up the courage to ask her over.
"Hm?" she turned in the doorway.
Harry stepped up from his chair and strolled casually towards the doorway. "Just wondering if you had plans this Christmas." He delivered the question coolly leaning on the doorframe opposite.
In truth Ruth had done her best to block out that fast approaching appointment. She hadn't really celebrated it in Cypress, George's family had their roots in Islam so Eid was as close as she got to Christmas. Now she was back, she'd not yet had the courage of mind to face her remaining family, to turn their world upside down by 'popping back' from the dead. The greatest problem, or excuse, she'd settled on, was an explanation. She could never tell her family and friends the real truth and dreaded the sheer exhaustion of lying, she still needed time to work out her story. So when Harry asked her plans, she was caught off guard and without the heart to lie, told the truth.
"Not much. A bottle of wine probably, maybe two." She gave a false smile. "I'll be fine, well, not fine- ugh..I'll be ok. Really." She took a deep breath, her cheeks began to glow red and as her hands tightly clutched her papers and her eyes searched to focus on anything but the man in front of her.
He gently grasped her arm, "If it's any comfort, at least you've the excuse of people thinking you dead. I can't say thatmuch".
Ruth was put slightly more at ease, "You've not got plans?"
"No. Well actually, I was wondering if perhaps you wanted to come over to mine, for a bit, Christmas lunch or something. Nothing fancy just, well I thought it'd be nice, if you wanted to."
She should have seen it coming from the moment Harry started to enquire to her plans but she hadn't. Looking at him now she could make out the betraying signs of nerves about his composure as he waited for her reply. The result was an overwhelming feeling of warmth, re-stirring deep feelings that she'd once tried so hard to burry.
"I'd like that." Her answer was honest, marked with a simple smile.
"Good," he relaxed, "shall we say 1 o'clock?"
"What shall I bring?"
Harry frowned, "Just bring yourself"
"Harry" she protested.
He relented "Ok, tell you what, bring that wine of yours and we'll call it evens… and no presents."
Ruth laughed, "Harry I can't just-"
"I mean it, I don't want you to buy anything, that's an order." He winked.
Ruth smiled, and begrudgingly she agreed. "alright, no presents"
Leaving his office she recalled how incredibly sweet he truly was, then, she thought how privileged she was to see that side of him. Most, more familiar with his blunt humour and fist banging rage that could scare the hell out of those unaccustomed to his temperament.
Grateful for the gesture and his invitation she'd noted how with each day since her return, the trust had slowly rebuilt between them, and now, a quiet enthusiasm stirred as she allowed herself to look forward to Christmas.
Seating herself at her desk and sorting which files were to be sent to Scotland Yard she couldn't help but glance to his office, he was back to work, idly turning pages, skimming their contents then dashing a signature at their base. He paused, as though he could sense her gaze though the thickened glass, glancing up he caught her eye, the look he gave her was warm and soothing. Ruth softly smiled back and she realised this was the first time since her return that, that 'oh so previously familiar ritual' had repeated itself. She'd missed it... she'd missed him.
This chapter sort of seemed necessary to kick things off,
Please R&R guys
...and I'll pop the next chap up tomorrow