Home Run - Chapter 5

[Tea Lady]

Thanks to those that are still reading and to JHyde again, for all her help.


Chapter 5

After a quick shower and a welcome change of clothes, Harry is called to the debriefing room in the basement of Thames House. The debriefing is conducted by two officers from Section E, who Harry doesn’t recognise, with Ros sitting in as an observer. Two hours later (which seem more like four), Harry is told he can go home. Finally. It’s 1am.

Harry’s driver had left hours ago so Ros insists on driving him home. He’s in no state to drive himself so accepts the offer gratefully. The short journey is conducted mainly in silence. Both of them are exhausted and Harry just needs some quiet time to collect his thoughts and Ros is happy to oblige.

The car pulls up in front of Harry’s house and Ros keeps the engine running but puts the hand break on. Harry makes no sign of reaching for the car door though, and he sits there, motionless, looking straight ahead. A hand reaches out in the dark and Ros lightly touches his arm. She leaves it there, resting, wondering what Harry will do next.

“Why don’t you come into the Grid a bit later tomorrow, Harry? I’ll take care of things for a while. You need to…”

“I’m fine, Ros,” Harry interrupts. “I will be in. Anyway, we need to sort out, well, try and figure out, what happens to Ruth now. She….she told Malcolm that she wants to get home as soon as possible.”

Harry’s voice is low and there is a note of defeat that he just can not stop from creeping into his voice.

Ros’ hand is still on his arm and there is no indication that Harry wants to move away from her touch. He needs a friend desperately and Ros is being just that. The gentle, chaste touch is welcome.

“Yes, I heard. We can try and work something out tomorrow, Harry, but you need to sleep first. And eat.”

“Yes.”

“And Scarlet may need a bit of attention, Harry.”

A bewildered look on his face, Harry turns his head towards his Section Chief. He had completely forgotten about his little dog.

“Thanks - thanks Ros…and…thank you for today. What you did for me. What you did for Ruth.”

“Payback, Harry.” Ros gives Harry a smile and he returns it. Nothing more needs to be said tonight except, “Night Ros,” and with that Harry is gone into the night.

Staying parked for a few moments longer, Ros watches Harry go through his front door and the downstairs lights flicker on. She sighs heavily and reflects that it has been a very long day and she really doesn’t know what they would do if they had lost him. Lost Harry.

********

Emptying his jacket and trouser pockets, Harry throws the contents onto the kitchen table, barely registering what he is doing he is so tired. He makes himself a tuna sandwich and half fills a glass tumbler with his favourite Glenturret whisky.

It is too late to let Scarlet out into the garden. The neighbours would be up in arms, so Harry makes it up to his little dog by rubbing her belly roughly and giving her a good rub round the back of the ears, as enthusiastically as he can manage.

Scarlet is now sated and is sitting happily at Harry’s feet, tail wagging like crazy, under the kitchen table. As he finishes his food, Harry allows himself to think about Ruth. Just a few miles from him now. Closer physically than she has been to him in years, lying in a bed, wrapped contently in the arms of another man. Suddenly his thoughts become too painful and Harry is so tired, that he closes his eyes and rests his heavy head in his hands. Unable to go on, the tears that have been threatening all day start to fall.

********

Across the city, Ruth sits in her temporary kitchen. She doesn’t know it, but she is mirroring the actions of her former boss only a few miles away. Unable to fall back to sleep she has come downstairs having woken an hour or so ago. Exhausted for sure, the unfamiliar surroundings, the adrenaline of yesterday, have combined to keep Ruth from her dreams. Climbing downstairs quietly, she had left George fast asleep, in their new but cold bed.

She makes a sandwich from the fresh bread Malcolm had brought for them and treats herself to a hot chocolate. Hot chocolate was not something she could readily get in Cyprus and she thinks she might indulge herself, now she is back in England.

As she stirs her drink, trying to get the annoying lumps to disappear, she looks over to the kitchen table. The mobile phone Malcolm had left her earlier that evening, is still sitting there. Jo phoned earlier to check on them, if Ruth needed anything, but other than that, the phone has remained unused. Silent.

Something is bothering her, though. She just hasn’t been able to put her finger on it. It is now she realises, it is the phone. She has been expecting him to call. Expecting Harry to call her. He hasn’t, of course. It has been hours since she ran away from him in the warehouse. Yes. I ran away from him, she now admits to herself.

Taking a few careful sips of her hot chocolate she now remembers the man upstairs, lying in their bed. The man she so nearly lost today to a bullet in the back of the head.

Remonstrating with herself, Ruth feels herself getting upset. Why on earth would I have wanted Harry to phone? What would I have said to him for God’s sake, if he had? You’re being stupid Ruth. Stop it. Stop it now.

But still, Ruth can not take her eyes off that phone and she knows she had woken earlier thinking about it. It is as though it is burning a hole in the kitchen table downstairs.

In the three years she has been away, she could have phoned Harry at any time. It would have been dangerous to have done so, of course - but she had known his mobile number by heart, and even his home number. So why now did she have this desire to talk to him? The analyst in her says it doesn’t make any logical sense.

Sighing heavily, Ruth stands. She throws the half eaten sandwich in the bin, puts the cup in the sink and turns to leave the kitchen. She pauses though in the doorway, her hand resting on the light switch.

She cannot do it. I can’t leave him like this. The way I left him on the stairs.

She doesn’t wholly understand why, but she picks up the phone and clicks on the new message button.

********

The mobile phone vibrates and beeps three times. Now awake and alert, Scarlet looks up from her basket by the back door. The phone on the kitchen table is flashing. Scarlet slowly climbs out of her basket, yawns and stretches, leaves the kitchen, and pads up the stairs. Entering the bedroom she jumps up onto Harry’s bed and settles herself down next to him, enjoying the feel of the soft quilt. His eyes remain firmly closed but Harry reaches out in the dark and pats her head, instinctively knowing where she is. “You OK, girl? Go to sleep now.” With that Harry turns over onto his side and goes back to sleep.

Ruth stands in the kitchen in the dark and waits. She waits for half an hour but there is no reply to her text. The phone is silent again. Harry always has his phone with him. It is always turned on, no matter where he is. Have I done the right thing? Oh God….

With nothing else to wait on, Ruth slowly and despondently places the phone in the drawer next to the kitchen sink. She cannot wait all night for a reply and with tears starting to well in her eyes, and with Harry crowding her waking thoughts, she reluctantly climbs back up the stairs to bed.

TBC

[Aria]

Another great chapter, TL. Love how supportive and understanding Ros is to Harry, he really needs a hug, poor man . Hopefully Harry and Ruth will talk in the next chapter when he finds a way of stopping her going back "home"

[Silktie]

Nooo Ruth, not a bloody impersonal text message! Grumbles.

Feeling very sorry for Harry right now. Nice chapter Tea Lady. But give poor old Harry a break soon please?

[SPOOK91]

Great chapter, Poor Harry and Ruth surely they will have to reach an understanding soon. I think this is an interesting premise, having George alive still. Ruth being the loyal woman she is.

[lwhite53]

That's mean, TL, just plain mean -- hasn't the man suffered enough? But it is a good chapter. Love Ros' understanding of what Harry is going through and Ruth being unable to sleep, thinking of him. Now what did Ruth say to Harry in her text?

[Tea Lady]

Thanks for the reviews guys. Poor Harry yes, I agree. Maybe I will be nicer to him in the next chapter...maybe not...

[A Cousin]

Another nice one TL.

I like how you are addressing the thoughts and feelings of the secondary characters: Ros and Scarlet. I have always felt that if the world surrounding the main characters is well developed, stories feel more truthful.

Having Ruth leaving George alone in "their new but cold bed" is great. I'll bet Harry's bed isn't cold! I also like how Ruth is working on instinct with contacting Harry. They are just drawn together without thought. And then of course as soon as she has done it she starts to think about it and second guesses herself. Perfect!

[Kazters]

just read it all love it! love the secret feelings of them all! really well writen

[jackbristow]

Great story, really enjoying it!

[Beatriz]

Nice one Tea Lady! At last I got round to read it!! Poor Harry, he's suffering a lot... Love that Scarlet is in the story
On to the next chapter!