I think this is kind of pre S9. Mainly light, fluffy and hopefully romantic.

The George was considerably busier that normal. Harry struggled to see her when he walked in and then the waters parted and there she was at the bar with Beth and the others. She didn't see him. He stepped forward and immediately got waylaid by two liasons from section C asking about the crash.

He wasn't really listening. There was music playing and she was laughing at something Tariq had just said, she wrinkled her nose and then stroked his arm feeling guilty she'd laughed at him. The others had no such compunction. Harry smiled, it was one of the things he loved about her.

She felt light hearted, uplifted. The dramas of the day had passed. The military flight that Harry was due to be on had crashed, she'd spent an interminable 10 minutes thinking he was lost to her, sat in her chair, frozen, trying to remember what he'd said to her about chances and what ifs and how living was the most important thing.

Then came the call. "Hi, I've missed the flight, couldn't be helped. I'll be back late, but I promise I'll make it up to you."

She couldn't speak. She handed Lucas the phone and headed straight to the ladies where she sank down against the wall and temporarily forgot to breathe.

Now, here with a glass of wine in her hand, her friends around her and Harry on his way she felt at the opposite end of the emotional scale.

The music changed and it was the track, the one they had danced to at the wedding, the one that had helped ease them together.

As Tariq began once more to try to explain his new software to Ruth, she saw him. Harry. Her heart truly ached. Ached for him. Alive, vibrant, smiling, eyes shining.

He saw her and abruptly excused himself from his unwanted colleagues.

She handed her drink to Beth and started to cross the room. Tariq halted mid sentence as Ruth walked off.

"Riveting, as always, Tariq" said Dimitri.

"Oh yeah, you really know how to impress the girls" laughed Lucas.

"Geek."

They headed towards the middle of the room, weaving around tables and drinkers, never once letting go of the sight of each other. And then they were there. Together. They stood, not speaking, not moving, not even touching. They just stood and looked. Each soaked the other up. It was a very personal and a private communication between the two of them, like each was listening to the other through their own coms, a warm voice whispering in their ears.

Beth nudged Lucas and nodded to the middle of the room. He turned.

Tariq elbowed Dimitri in the side and told him to shut up. They both noticed the others attention had shifted and they too looked up. In a busy, noisy pub there was an oasis of calm at it's centre.

"What are they doing?" said Tariq

"I knew it!" said Dimitri.

Beth just smiled. There was no way she couldn't know, she'd practically had Ruth's house to herself for several weeks now.

Harry had taken his fill of her, and she of him. He reached out a hand to her face, gently stroking it as he pulled her forward, he held her there, his lips so close she could feel his breath and then when she could wait no more, he kissed her.

Section D smiled.

Several members of Section C stood with mouths open. Was this Harry Pearce, cold, hard, heartless some would say, standing in the middle of a busy public house kissing his senior analyst. In fact, still kissing her and not looking like they were going to stop anytime soon.

The landlord glanced and moved on, he'd seen worse.

Their kiss was starting to fail miserably, it was hard to kiss when you couldn't stop smiling. They didn't know why, they just knew they were overwhelmingly happy. He moved his lips to her ear.

"You realise we've just blown our cover most spectacularly, don't you Miss Evershed?"

"I do, Sir Harry?"

"And do you care?"

"Do I buggery"

He laughed and cradled her face, kissing her gently once more and then looked at her. Neither of them had yet even dared to look round the room.

"Once more unto the breach then, Ruth"

She grinned.

They turned to the bar. Various faces that had been turned towards them all now looked hastily away and there was more than one "you'll never guess what?" text starting to be typed. The team were pretending to be in deep conversation. Harry put his arm round Ruth and smiled reassuringly.

"So, anyone fancy a drink?" he said.

"Thought we finally had something to celebrate," said Lucas revealing a bottle of champagne, "especially seeing as you've just outed yourselves in such an, oh so subtle manner!"

Harry smiled, "What, do you think any one noticed?"

Beth grinned. Dimitri winked at Ruth and Lucas poured the champagne.

Ruth turned to Tariq. "Sorry, Tariq what were you saying?"

He opened his mouth to speak but said nothing.

"So, how long have you two been 'undercover' then?" asked Beth.

Dimitri sniggered.

Beth glared at him.

Ruth blushed.

And Harry, well, Harry just looked rather pleased with himself.

A FEW WEEKS EARLIER

"Ruth" he slid the office door closed.

"Yes, Harry"

"I need to say something."

"I promise Harry, I will try to knock, it's just that sometimes I need to tell you what I've found and I just forget and I need to let you know and…."

"Ruth"

She stopped.

Then she started again.

"I'm so sorry I didn't realise you were changing. It's just you don't usually change your shirt in the middle of the day, then again you don't usually have some fool pouring coffee all over you, I'm really so clumsy and well, sorry Harry, I hope I didn't burn you."

"Ruth"

She stopped.

He waited.

"Ruth, forget that, it's fine."

She half smiled, nor truly convinced.

"Ruth"

"Yes"

"Will you come to a wedding with me?"

She just looked at him.

"My godson is getting married and I have an invite and I don't really want to go alone"

There is another pause.

"And what I mean is, I'd really like it if you were to come with me"

"Ok"

Pause.

"Ok?"

"Yes. Yes. That would be nice."

"Ok. Good"

Silence.

She got up and moved to the door.

"And I really am sorry about the coffee and your shirt and that I came in when you weren't dressed, not that I really saw anything and I will knock next time."

"Ruth"

"Yes"

"Go away."

"Yes Harry" she smiled and blushed.

God how he loved that woman.

More to come. Hope you are liking.