My belated Christmas epilogue. I apologise for the time delay but you can always relive Christmas can't you?

Danny and Tom had lugged a fir tree onto The Grid in time for Christmas. Harry had only raised his eyebrows. "A real tree? Well I don't care what you do with it or where you put it as long as it's not me sweeping up the mess."

"And bar humbug to you too," Tom said affably.

He and Danny placed it up against the wall, so that everyone's desks faced onto it as much as possible. "A bit of Christmas cheer will do us all good," Danny winked.

The next day Zoe and Sam and Ruth brought in plain boxes- cardboard.

"Anyone care to explain?" Harry asked as he inelegantly tripped over one coming out of his office trying to reach Ruth's desk.

Ruth steadied him with her arm, wearing her delicately shy smile that he so loved. "Normally that would have been me," she said, leaning in and kissing him softly on the cheek.

Harry noticed Zoe's big eyes on him. "There's tree decorations in the box." She smiled at his expression and ducked her head down behind her computer. He wasn't annoyed. He grinned right on back.

His hands touched Ruth's as she dragged one box over and began to unpack brightly coloured baubles. He thought about his gift to Ruth locked in his desk drawer. He wasn't afraid of giving it any longer, not after the events of last week. He helped her hang red and purple baubles on the tree.

"May I help?" Zoe asked. "I always did it at home with the family."

Ruth tore her eyes away from Harry. "Of course."

Zoe ripped open more boxes, and Danny came over with Sam carrying candles. "Not too much of a fire hazard I hope Harry?"

"Well we're only lighting them Christmas Day anyway. Just put them out before we all drink too much."

"If we get the opportunity to drink at all," Tom muttered darkly, but then he shrugged the mood off. He picked up a glittering star and hung it from a branch.

It wasn't long before Malcolm and Colin were helping too. The entire Grid, together decorating. It felt like family.

Ruth and Harry were both on The Grid early. "I came to decorate the tree before the others came in," Ruth said.

"So did I," Harry lied. He had come knowing Ruth would be there.

She said nothing, raising an eyebrow. She held up an angel. She was standing on tip toe. "This goes on the top but I can't reach."

He came up behind her, his hand resting on her back. He put it on the tree easily. He didn't move. His arms encircled Ruth's waist and his face was buried inelegantly in her hair.

A throat cleared behind them.

"What the Hell are you doing here Tom?" Harry demanded.

"Girlfriend troubles remember- I couldn't take her hanging around my house anymore so I came in here early. I could do with a coffee though." Tom had always been diplomatic. "I'll be back in twenty minutes Harry." He stuffed some money in his pocket and backtracked hastily through the pods.

"Now where were we?" Harry murmured.

"I think we were up to the part where you kiss me," Ruth laughed.

"How could I forget?"

It was Christmas Day and as usual the team had had to come into work. There was no rest for the wicked- not for MI5 either, not even on public holidays. Danny and Zoe had come to work bearing red Santa hats.

"We'll quit if you all don't wear them," Zoe said.

"That or take back your presents," Danny said pointing under the tree threateningly.

Ruth put hers on enthusiastically so Harry did too.

But the best part of all was when Tom came onto The Grid bearing a piping hot flask of mulled wine along with some plastic party cups.

"Tom! We never knew you had it in you," Ruth winked.

Tom just smiled. "Tom Quin: man of mysteries...of the culinary variety."

It was afternoon and present opening time. They'd figured this all out before hand. Everyone ganged up on Ruth.

"If I open one will you all give me a break," she said exasperated.

"Yep absolutely," Danny agreed a little too quickly.

Ruth looked at him suspiciously and shrugged. "Fine." She scrabbled under the tree until she found Harry's present to her. Her heart beat a little faster. It was a small gift, compact and square. She looked at him inquiringly but he shook his head slightly.

"Open it Ruth."

She did, careful not to rip the paper. Her Mum had always gone off at her for wasting perfectly reusable wrapping paper and old habits did die hard.

"Hurry up," Sam said. She was excited about something. Come to think of it, thought Ruth, so was everyone but Harry, who just looked profoundly nervous. She pulled the last piece of paper off to reveal a padded box. So it was jewellery of some kind. Her heart was now racing.

Harry came over before she could open it. He put both his hands over hers and they opened the box together. A gold ring glittering with a tiny sapphire at its top stared back at her. She was paralysed with shock as Harry dragged her hands downwards, leaving the ring cupped in her now clasped hands. He was kneeling on the ground; really going the whole hog and she couldn't say anything at all because she was grinning like an idiot as he said clearly so that everyone could hear, "Ruth darling, will you marry me?"

Tom was smiling. He remembered Ruth worrying about her (poor unfed) cats, stabbing scissors in the wall. Her manifest insecurities were obvious, but not now, not anymore, as she smiled radiantly down into Harry's face and he slipped the ring on her finger. His own love life was a mess, but it filled him with joy to know that someone else had found some happiness in this life.

It was odd. He could have loved her in his own way. That day on the embankment bench as he had saved her from certain decommissioning; had there been a spark then, between the two or was that just his imagination? But if it had been, well that was a small, long gone spark and there was the two together and a wedding and Harry in a suit and Ruth in a wedding dress to look forward to and he was pleased.

Malcolm was taking photos. It had turned out so beautifully in the end. Such a perfect couple amongst the backdrop of the flickering candles and the lights of the tree. There were tears in his eyes. He was a sentimental old man when it came to romance after all.

There was only silence. In that second, every single person's eyes were on Ruth's as she answered Harry with a joyous 'yes.' She found herself remembering something Tom had said the night before she and Harry had first discovered they both cared. It was the emotionally charged day of the EERIE exercise. Ruth had felt useless and Tom in his duty as leader had said, "When the lights come back on you'll be the most important person in the room." She had believed him; he was so grave and self assured.

"You'll be the most important person in the room," his voice echoed like a whirling dervish in her mind.

Right here, right now, amongst the sweet scent of the fir tree as she and Harry kissed and fell into each other's arms, she was.

How sad that this fic is finished. I love the series two team so much and it was fun to write about them all, and boy did I enjoy a much less angst filled Ruth. Thank you to everyone who read this and thanks for all your lovely reviews. I hope you enjoyed the epilogue. Till next time...