M

"Right," she agreed.

And though, of course, she could not read his mind, Vera would have readily agreed with Bond's assessment of the situation. Gareth Mallory was the priority here. For so many reasons, Gareth Mallory was the one who mattered right now.

"We can't go into one of the shops." They knew they were targets. They did not know what Vera had been injected with and though she did not think the Foundation would risk civilian lives, she couldn't know. She couldn't even be sure it was the Foundation! The GOI was likely still aware of her existence.

No. The risks were too great to involve civilians.

"We can maintain a safe distance from each other for the block and half we are from home." She tried to draw her hand back, but he held firm and so she granted him that much even as she kept pace for them. "I'll sit in the bath and talk to you until help arrives, alright? I'll be just behind the door. I promise, I've no intention of leaving you. I'm not leaving," she insisted as they fast approached the front door.

"You'll hear me all the while, but you'll be somewhat more safely removed from me in case this is..." Vera thought of Sergei and Julia Skripal. It was a fright. The Foundation had been on high alert when the poisonings occurred. The Foundation Medical Liaison at the time had been, by necessity, involved over concerns that the unknown agent affected others who came into contact with it—not just the Skripal's, but medical and police personnel as well. They determined it was not an anomalous toxin, but the Novichok nerve agent that was ultimately discovered was considered a sobering reminder of what humanity was capable of all on its own among the medical ranks of the Foundation.

She gave his hand a tight squeeze and moved to withdraw once more, for his own safety.

Even when Vera tried to get out of his grip, Gareth didn’t let her. If only, he tightened it. “We are in this together.” As they reached the house and passed the black iron fence, he stopped in his tracks and turned to face her. Squeezing her hand lightly. “If you have…anything that can spread to me, I am having it, too. I don’t care about the consequences.” Because, god, he loved her. He loved this woman, and he would do anything for her – even if it meant dying. He didn’t want to lose someone again, he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life without her in it.

"I guess I got that from winning awards..." She admitted as he described what it felt like to get promoted. It normally got her better jobs and higher pay for those jobs too.

Her eyes watched him as he got out of the pool, tracking him with a little smile while she was very very much reminded that they were both naked- though she wouldn't burn like Gareth.

She glanced at him as he started to say he hoped she didn’t mind his asking, curious what was on his mind though she had an idea based on his earlier questions. She shook her head. “No, I don’t mind. I’d be just as curious if the roles were reversed.

Sneaking a quick look at the television she saw they were introducing the participants. “I’ll give you an abridged version before the show starts and then you can ask me anything you’re curious about.” She offered with a quick nod towards their show.

“I was a nurse, that was what I went to school for. All I ever really wanted to be I suppose.” She said softly. “Though I did take jobs in restaurants to pay for my schooling that wasn’t covered by scholarships.” She added. Perhaps to explain how when faced with an open choice, she ended up running a coffee shop.

“One of the things I was most interested in and did advanced studies and certifications in was trauma. Especially the types of injuries that happen with active duty military service. I was offered a job as head of special unit at a hospital to do just that. I didn’t realize until later that in taking that role it meant I also worked for one of those shadowy government agencies in the US that technically don’t exist.”

“They recruited their operatives directly from my unit.” Corinne had been trying to keep an eye on the quiz show as she tried to explain the complicated situation that led her to be sitting on the couch halfway across the world from her home and everything she’d known.

That ‘one of those shady government agencies’ was recruiting those nurses – and doctors, he supposed – without their knowledge, was something he had never heard of before. Well, there were rumours, of course, but what the US did with their citizens wasn’t really his or the British government’s priority.

When he pulled back to ask about what her and the admin girls talked about Maria decided that right now she didn't want to answer that, instead she dried her hands on the tea towel next to the sink and turned in his arms wrapping her arms around his neck.