I wrote this about two months ago as part of an assignment for my creative writing class. The assignment was to "set a scene in a hospital waiting room: two characters talk about anything except illness, accident, or death". So of course I immediately thought of Harry and Ruth, and wrote this piece with them in mind. It's short and quite random, but I hope it'll be enjoyable to read anyway. Probably set between 8.8 and 9.1 and the colleague they're referring to is Ros.

"I got you some sweet tea" he said, handing her the white polystyrene cup and sitting down in the uncomfortable plastic chair next to her. "You know, for the shock."

She gave him a weak smile as she took the cup from him, taking a small sip from the steaming hot liquid. "Thanks. I really needed that."

For a while nothing was said. They knew they would be in there for quite some time, so for now they were enjoying being in each other's company, without the hustle and bustle of everyday life coming between them. Admittedly it was an odd situation in a most peculiar environment, but they had never been the types to adhere to conventionality.

The day had started just like any other day. They were used to the threats, the adrenaline rush, the excitement, the moments of danger. But nobody could have guessed that the day would end quite like this.

After the prolonged moment of silence they both started talking at the same time.

"I was.." she started.

"Perhaps we.." he said.

Both fell silent again.

"You first," she half-whispered.

He cleared his throat. "Today has made me think, about what's important I mean. I know that this is neither the time nor the place to be talking about this, but things have always been sort of spur of the moment between us."

He half smiled, and dared to cast a sideward glance towards her before getting serious again.

He continued. "It's this whole situation. Risking our lives for the good of the country on a daily basis, and what is she left with? Two colleagues waiting for news of her, and only because they've nothing better to do. I don't want that for either of us. We both deserve so much better than that."

"I don't want that for us either," she replied. "But it's just not that simple."

"It's as simple or as complicated as we want it to be," he said.

She shook her head and looked up at him, not quite meeting his gaze. Her otherwise bright blue eyes watery from the unshed tears that had gathered there. It wasn't long before the first one managed to escape its confines. The rest soon followed, streaming down her cheeks uncontrollably. Each of them carefully and lovingly brushed away by his thumb.

He took her hands in his and gave them a slight reassuring squeeze. "Please, just tell me what I should do. I'd do anything to make you happy, you know that."

Again she shook her head. "You don't need to do anything. I just need time. That's all I need."

Thanks for reading. Please review :) xx