Post 9.8 but no hint of an Inquiry in sight.

Kudos own all, I am but nothing.

She didn't know why but she liked him. It surprised her because she would have fully expected to dislike him. They had nothing in common. His methods seemed haphazard, his attitude debatable and his motives questionable. His personal appearance hardly seemed to bother him and she often wondered if he'd not even gone to bed and just collapsed somewhere sleeping in his clothes. He did, however, have very attractive blue eyes.

"Ruth?" prompted Beth.

Ruth realised that she hadn't answered Beth's question, not out loud anyway.

"He's a bit different to the norm."

Beth neither agreed, nor disagreed but continued to look warily at Alec across the grid.

"Harry's usually a good judge of character," Ruth added.

Apart from Lucas, but neither voiced the thought

"What do you think of Alec?" Harry asked Dimitri, as the two stood in his office.

"He seems a little unconventional, but that's not always a bad thing."

Harry said nothing. He was watching Ruth, watching Alec.

"Ruth?"

"Yes, Alec"

"Look at this for me, see what you can find."

He handed her a file.

"Jam" she said.

"What?"

"Jam, is what I can find. Strawberry, I'd say."

"Oh, shit….breakfast" he said by way of an explanation and started rubbing at it with what remained of a torn, crumpled serviette retrieved from his pocket.

He wasn't making it any better.

She laughed at him as he leant over her.

In his office Harry watched Ruth, smiling at Alec.

Two hours later Ruth moved to Alec's desk, which as it happens was the closest to Harry's office, Harry however was at a JIC meeting.

"I've got the analysis of the file you gave me" she said.

"And?"

"Definitely strawberry" she said and turned away smiling.

"No you don't" he said reaching out a hand and pulling her back.

"Give it up, or I'll add your name to that file and don't think I won't," he added smirking.

Harry came in through the pods and watched Ruth laughing with Alec.

"You two seem to be getting on well" Beth said as she handed Ruth a cup of tea.

"I've decided I like him."

Beth raised her eyebrows.

"No, not like that"

"Sure?"

"Yes, very sure, thank you Beth."

Beth smiled.

"Though he has got lovely eyes," Ruth added.

"Coffee, Harry?" asked Beth

"Thanks.'" He said curtly. Harry clearly wasn't in the best of moods.

"He's alright, Beth, just give him a chance" said Dimitri as he pulled the milk from the fridge, "he'll probably grow on you."

"Yeah, what, like mould." She really wasn't convinced and he had been buzzing around Ruth most of the day, which was not fair play when he obviously knew how Harry felt.

"Look, Beth, if Ruth thinks Alec's ok, then he must be."

"Yes, well, she thinks he has lovely eyes so maybe we shouldn't trust her judgement, Dimitri."

Harry stood in the corridor outside the kitchen, he'd come to thank Beth for the offer of a coffee, he never got that far.

"Ruth?"

"Yes, Alec"

"You've got something on your face."

She looked at him waiting for some sarcastic or funny comment but nothing further was forthcoming.

"No, you really have got something on your face."

He leant over her and delicately stroked a finger across the top of her cheek, under her right eye.

"That tickles."

Harry walked back towards his office, he saw Ruth's face tilted up to Alec and they were both laughing.

"Ruth!"

The shout was louder than he'd intended.

Ruth got up and apologetically turned from Alec, she grabbed her notebook and went towards Harry's office, rubbing her face hoping that whatever was on it had gone now.

"You don't need to shout, Harry" she admonished him.

"What's wrong with your face?' he asked sternly.

"Oh, is there still something there?" she said and rubbed harder.

"There's nothing there."

"Then there's nothing wrong with my face." He was annoying her now.

"No, there's nothing wrong with it all" he sounded wistful suddenly, "it's a beautiful face."

She looked at him. He realised that he'd said it out loud.

"Anyway, I'm sure Alec thinks so" he muttered.

"Harry?"

"I know from experience you're not someone to openly show your feelings at work, but please don't start doing it now, Ruth."

"What are you talking about?'

"You know what I'm saying."

"No, I think you'll find that I don't, Harry."

"You and Alec."

"Me and Alec."

"Yes, you and Alec"

"Me and Alec, what?"

"Well, there's clearly something going on."

"Clearly." she felt too annoyed to contradict him. "And?"

"And."

"And, what, Harry?"

"And, please do me the courtesy of not doing in front of me!" he shouted.

"I'm not doing anything in front of you, or behind you, or any bloody where."

"I just don't need to see it, Ruth."

"Harry, there is nothing going on with me and Alec. I know he's unconventional but I don't think he's got a deathwish and so he's hardly likely to try coming on to me in front of you, is he. Especially not when you're behaving like this? And besides" she'd really got going now, "he's hardly likely to be attracted to me anyway"

"Why not? I am."

"Yes, well"

"Yes, well what, Ruth?

"Yes, well you've made that perfectly obvious!"

"And we all know how far that's got me. Bloody nowhere!"

"You're hardly likely to get anywhere proposing over a damned grave!"

"Well, I'm sorry but it seemed like a good idea at the time!"

"Yes, well next time pick a better spot!"

Everything stopped.

"Next time?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, next time" she replied breathing heavily.

Everything stopped again.

"Will my office do?"

"It's not ideal, but at a push.."

"Marry me Ruth?"

"Why?"

"Because I love you and I don't want to have to shoot one of my team, even if he is new."

She smiled.

"Well?" he said.

"Yes, Harry, I'll marry you."

Dimitri, Beth and Tariq stood aghast looking at the office, having heard the blazing row.

Beth glanced at Alec, he turned, smiled and winked at her, "job done" he said and sat down.

Beth thought maybe she would like Alec after all.