Crying Shoulder - Chapter 2

[SPOOK91]

Hey, this is chapter 2. They are just arriving at the safe house. Hope you all enjoy.

The safe house was in fact a small semi-detached property in a rough area of East London, it was a dull, faded red, bricked building which blended in well with the drab surrounding streets. The drive had been taken in silence apart from Harry’s explanation of events and a brief conversation between him and Adam detailing when they were planning on bringing Gary onto the grid for a debriefing and minor interrogation. Of course, Gary had played no part in this conversation despite attempting a number of times to make it perfectly clear that spending the foreseeable future in Harry’s company was not how he had been intending to spend his weekend. The car had pulled up after around half an hour, Harry was out of the car first and instantly opened the door of Ruth’s side and waited for her to get out. Zaf followed her, joints aching due to the unnatural position he had been forced to reside in due to the cramped back seat.

“It’s clear Harry. Coms are working, Malcolm will get in touch with you tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you Adam. I’m sure I can handle things from here. Goodnight.” He nodded. “Goodnight Zaf.” He nodded at the younger officer.

To say the inside of the safe house was basic was an understatement, the wallpaper had been fashionable in the 80s and the fireplace seemed to have given up at around the same time. There was a small sofa and an armchair stationed opposite it, a grey moth eaten rug and the bare essentials in the kitchen.

“Could do with a lick of paint.” Gary looked around, running a finger across a particularly dusty sideboard.

“It’s better than the alternative.” Harry flashed a death stare at Gary, it was going to be a long night, particularly with the way he seemed to be eyeing up Ruth out of the corner of his eye in a non to subtle manner.

“Right, well I’m going to bed.” Ruth looked between the two men.

“Good idea, I think I’ll join you.”
The comment earned Gary his second death stare in as many minutes. Harry squared his jaw and looked upon the slight smile that Ruth was wearing. After tonight there was no way he could claim that his behaviour was that of a protective friend or boss, particularly when he was wearing such a pout as he did. Ruth turned and headed up the stairs followed by the two men, she pushed open the door at the top of the stairs to be greeted with the sight of a less archaic master bedroom than the rest of the property. The only other door on the landing was pushed open by Gary who chuckled to himself and promptly closed it behind him.

“Well this could be interesting.”

“Pardon?” Ruth turned quickly to face them.

“Bathroom.”

“What?” She pushed past him and opened the door herself to be greeted with a small porcelain lavatory and a wash basin.

“I suppose this is Zaf’s idea of a joke.” Harry hissed, turning a funny shade of purple. “Goodnight Ruth, Gary and I will fight over the couch.” He smiled gently at her, she reciprocated and placed a hand on his arm leaning in gently to whisper in his ear.

“Be nice.”

“Aren’t I always.” He gave her his most devastating smirk and almost made her reconsider her lack of argument over him sleeping downstairs.

Gary coughed at the two of them, rolling his eyes comically at the farce which was occurring before his eyes.

“Goodnight.” She turned around carefully, her eyes not leaving Harry’s until she disappeared into the bedroom.

Harry was the first to begin the decent down the stairs as Gary still looked on in frustration. Finding himself on the sofa Harry began to make himself comfortable, a bag of blankets and other assorted linens had been thrown on the faded welcome mat by Adam as he had left.

“I thought we were going to fight it out.”

Harry scoffed, plumping his pillow before laying his head onto it. Gary sighed and tried to make himself comfortable on the armchair, a few minutes had passed and it was blindingly obvious that neither of them were asleep. Harry shifted onto his side and turned to look at a reclined Gary.

“So how long was it that you and Ruth were together?”

“How did you know that we were together?” Gary stirred slightly in his chair.

“I didn’t.” Harry smirked.

“Bloody spook.” Gary chuckled and replied to Harry’s smirk with his own satirical grin.

“About 18 months. I met her at Uni.”

“Ah.” Harry nodded.

“Split up around the time she began working at GCHQ.”

“That’s why you chose to go to her?”

Gary nodded his reply.

“I knew the information would be of interest.”

“And that she would have the means of protecting you.” Harry smiled sardonically.

“That too.” Gary smiled back.

“I suppose it didn’t occur to you that you would put her in the same danger by going to her?” Harry quizzed, feeling a little more satisfied when Gary couldn’t keep eye contact with him.

“I suppose it’s embarrassing for her too.” Gary looked back at Harry, fire back in his eyes.

“What makes you say that?” Harry clipped his voice; his tone taking on a roughness.

“Well your sleazy little affair is going to be the talk of the office come tomorrow morning.” Harry’s eyes burnt into him and he clucked his tongue.
“You shouldn’t speak of something you know nothing about.”

“Oh but I do.” He waited for a look of acknowledgement to appear on Harry’s face but was met with nothing; a blank expression. “I suppose it could be said I know Ruthie intimately.” Gary smirked diabolically. “I remember how she used to look at me.”

“Could you please make your point? I intend to sleep tonight.”

“You can’t seriously tell me there is nothing going on.”

Harry kept silent, his rage increasing with his curiosity. Perhaps his feelings weren’t completely unrequited.

“Go to sleep Gary.” Harry enunciated each word at his companion before turning his face into the fabric of the sofa.

Ruth lay in bed, she could hear the muffled voices of the two men downstairs; the conversation was unfortunately indecipherable to hear ears from where she lay. She thrashed around for a while trying in vain to get comfortable on the hard mattress. The voices had stopped, either Harry had throttled him or they were asleep, it was alright for some. Sleep seemed to be evading her at any cost. She slipped out of the bed, slid onto the floor and out of the room.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs she could see Gary’s outline slumped in the armchair and a large mass snuggled into the soft material of the sofa. Before she had realised it she was stood by him, she could make out the peaceful, sleeping face that had haunted her dreams for longer than she would care to admit. His short curls were stood on end where he had been lying and the creases in his face seemed less pronounced. He looked so much younger and untroubled. She smiled at him and kneeled; allowing one of her hands to hover above his hair, teasing herself. As if she had just come out of a trance she shook her head and bolted for the kitchen.

She flicked the switch on the kettle an shakily reached for a mug whilst mentally chastising herself for thinking of Harry in such a way when a hand put down another mug next to her, she jumped; scared witless and motioned to attack the newcomer when she realised who it was.

“Harry.”

“I’m sorry I startled you.”

“Umm, it’s fine.”

He nodded and smiled at her.

“I think these could do with a quick swill before we use them.” He grasped the two mugs by the handle and padded across to the sink and began to run the water.

“Can’t sleep?” He questioned.

“No. You?”

“Same.” She nodded stiffly and watched his movements as he brought the mugs back across the kitchen.

“Are you alright? After hearing about Clive I mean?”

“I’m fine.” He smiled, dropping two teabags into the mugs. “Things are progressing quicker than I anticipated with the operation but at least they are progressing.”

“He was still your friend though Harry.”

“I know. And I want to find out what happened to him and put this to rest. Sooner the better, then we can all go home and get on with our lives.” He snapped slightly at her, but realising the hurt look on her face he quickly softened.

“You’ve been brilliant. You didn’t have to do this for me.”

“I wanted to.” She blushed slightly; his mouth went dry at her admitting that she had wanted to be there for him, that perhaps there was something between them which surpassed the boundaries of colleagues.

“Why?” His voice had taken on a smooth, seductive tone. His eyes darkened with his desire for her, she began to quiver nervously and had forgotten to breathe when the click indicating that the kettle had boiled intruded on their moment. Fumbling she grasped the kettle burning herself in the process.

“Shit.” She clutched her hand wincing.

“Come here, let me see.” He grasped her hand in his own, not giving her the chance to argue and led her over to the sink and began to run the tap, gently he lowered their joined hands beneath the water, keeping his eyes intently on them as she searched his face with her own.

Time seemed to stand still as they stood there with the water gushing over their hands, he passed a thumb across the tip of her finger, when she didn’t flinch he stopped the water.

“There we are, all better.” Time really had stopped this time, all they seemed to be able to do was stare at the other, Harry pecked a chaste kiss on her burnt fingertip, hoping that his manoeuvre would extinguish a little of the tension that had appeared only to realise that he had just made matters ten times worse.

She was certain he was going to kiss her, for that matter she was certain that she was going to kiss him. His tongue poked out of his mouth and licked across his lips in anticipation.

“Put him down Moneypenny, you don’t know where he’s been.” They jumped apart suddenly startled by the appearance of their intruder.

“Do you have no tact?” Harry hissed under his breath at Gary, brimming with anger as the younger man chuckled and turned back towards his armchair.

[Aria]

Another good chapter, Spook91. Loved the tension and sarcastic comments between Harry and Gary.

[Tea Lady]

Poor Harry getting stuck with Gary.

[A Cousin]

“Put him down Moneypenny, you don’t know where he’s been.”

LOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whadda jerk! You have captured Hicks perfectly.

[lwhite53]

(14-07-2010 02:24 PM)A Cousin Wrote:  “Put him down Moneypenny, you don’t know where he’s been.”

LOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whadda jerk! You have captured Hicks perfectly.

I second the motion!! And the James Bond motif is absolutely great.

Harry and Hicks is a tremendous matching -- am loving this.

[newagent]

She was certain he was going to kiss her, for that matter she was certain that she was going to kiss him. His tongue poked out of his mouth and licked across his lips in anticipation.


Chapter 3 please.

[Obsession]

Good writing. I keep coming back for more, double-checking to see if I haven't missed chapter 3... please write more - I'm hooked

[Fidget the cat]

Wonderful! Poor poor Harry, I feel so sorry for him!
"she could make out the peaceful, sleeping face that had haunted her dreams for longer than she would care to admit." Awwwwwww! Please keep writing...