Disclaimer I do not own Spooks. Everything you recognise belongs to KUDOS and BBC television. All original characters belong to me. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred.

Chapter One

The sunshine bathed the London streets as Ruth walked along with Gracie in her pushchair. The little girl babbled happily as Ruth negotiated various commuters. Even on a Sunday it seemed London was as hectic as ever.

"Mamma!" Gracie pointed to a small dog being walked by a middle aged man opposite.

"That's not Scarlett." Ruth smiled, thinking of the little terrier they had left at home with Harry. It was their day off and she was determined to make the most of it. Nick and Harry had stayed home while she and Grace had gone to buy groceries knowing that there would be a house full of people later. In just six days time Harry would be walking his oldest daughter down the aisle and Ruth was determined to do everything she could to make it as perfect a day as possible, knowing how it felt not to have her own mother at her wedding she didn't want Catherine to feel the same. Jane's death still cast a shadow over both her step-children and she knew it always would.

"Mamma bus." Gracie pointed just as Ruth reached the edge of the pavement. Ruth looked up.

"That's a van." Ruth was immediately on alert. White Mercedes van's did not generally park outside the local bank on a Sunday. The bank was closed, there was no delivery and the pub next door was unoccupied. All her spook senses told her something was wrong. The young man driving the van looked directly at her. His dark grey t shirt matching his eyes. Instinctively she pulled back the pushchair as Gracie squealed. Seconds later the street erupted in smoke and debris as Ruth threw herself over the pram before the world went black.

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Lucas picked up his phone just as Amy wandered into the living room.

"Daddy?"

"I'll get Ros. Adam look after Harry." Lucas hung up.

"Uncle Harry ok?" Amy asked, her dark hair falling into her eyes. The six year old was clearly concerned about her godfather.

"Yes." Lucas knelt down so that he was at his daughter's height. "He's ok. Auntie Ruth and Gracie aren't very well."

"Sick?"

"I think so. A bit. So, I'm going to take you and James to see Carrie so I can take Mum and we can see if we can help."

"Ok." Amy bit her lip. "I could make Auntie Ruth a card or a picture for Gracie. Make them smile."

"That would be brilliant." Lucas watched as his daughter smiled broadly. "I'm sure Auntie Ruth and Gracie will love it." Amy nodded before turning and bouncing out of the room. Ros appeared in the doorway as Lucas stood up.

"I just got a redflash." Ros stated. "Explosion in Park Square. Unknown number of civilian casualties. Can you take the kids to Carrie while I head to the Grid?"

"Yeah." Lucas announced as Amy and James appeared. "Come on you two." He held out his hand as Ros watched them go.

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"Harry." Adam walked towards his old friend as he sat staring into space. "Catherine, Nick and Graham are on the way here."

"Ok." He stared at the hospital floor, barely able to register what was going on around them. Dozens of people had flooded the A&E department since the bomb had exploded. It seemed the majority of casualties had been minor injuries but a few, like Ruth and Gracie had been rushed straight through.

"This is nothing to do with who you or Ruth are." Adam stated as he sat next to him. "It could have been Carrie, it could have been Sarah walking down that road. In fact it was more likely to be Sarah, her bookshop is there." Harry remained stoically silent. "I've redflashed everyone. Ros and I can handle this. You stay with Ruth and the baby."

"She's two next week. A day before Catherine's wedding."

"I know."

"Ruth was going to take Charlie and Lucy during the service. Gracie is Catherine's flower girl. How well that will work out I don't know. She was bored at the rehearsal."

"She's two. She's going to be bored in a church." Adam sighed, seeing that Harry really wasn't taking anything in. Suddenly the doors to the A&E treatment room swung open.

"FAMILY OF GRACIE-JO PEARCE." A male nurse yelled as Harry shot to his feet.

"Daddy!" Gracie held out her hands as Harry walked towards her. The male nurse handed her over before ushering her and Harry into the family room. Harry kissed his daughter's forehead as she rested her head against him and sucked her thumb.

"Your daughter has been very lucky." The nurse stated. Harry closed his eyes.

"Yes, I can see that. What about Ruth? My wife?"

The nurse fell silent for a moment as Harry hugged his daughter tightly. The little girl hiccuped as Harry felt his heart break a little more.

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"Ok, what do we have?" Ros asked as she jogged through the Pods. The assembled officers busied themselves as she headed to the Briefing Room. "BRIEFING ROOM!" Ros gave no room for argument. She was already three officers down and she knew that they were going to need all the help they could get.

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A/N Is Ruth ok? Is it worth going on with this story? Please review.