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"That she kissed you?" Maria asked him. He probably wasn't going to like her answer because it was a big fat no. "I imagine the security in your office is pretty tight?" It was a statement but also a question. "I can't see there being any recording devices in there without your knowledge or Q's knowledge. At least I hope there isn't." And Maria actually blushed then and gave him a soft knowing smile, because she was thinking about all the times they'd been intimate in there. The times they'd gotten far too carried away at lunch of when he was working late. To be fair they had years apart to make up for and his office was soundproof.... the thought there could be footage of the two of them, whilst thrilling, was also mortifying.

Gareth couldn’t help the sigh escaping his lips. Maria was right – there was no way anyone else had seen her kiss him in Moneypenny’s office. Security in the entire MI6 building was tight, but there were no cameras pointed at every office, no recording devices anywhere simply because that wouldn’t have been safe. It was a catch-22 of some sort. His brow rose. On the one hand it was bad right now, but on the other…well, he was quite glad there were videos or audios of his office because of those few times Maria’s visits to his office had got a bit out of hand…

The way she hummed, almost moaned as his lips found the place on her neck she had so desperately wanted had her melting into him. It wasn't they they didn't kiss, they kissed as naturally as breathing. Almost as if the greeting, or farewell was a habit. The kiss to his cheek when he was drinking his morning tea, or the top of her head. This? This was something else, this was consuming. This was the reminder that despite the love, despite the trials and tribulations. There was passion.

He pulled away when Wendy was turning around to face him, his arms staying where they were wrapped around her waist. The house was lying in blissful silence, their son finally sleeping in his room. They had the entire night to themselves now… Before Michael Arthur he hadn’t cared much about when he came home from work. Now, however, Gareth always tried to make sure to at least be home by eight even when work was the busiest, just to get to say goodnight to their son or read him a short story. Occasionally, he even came home just to do so, then went back to Whitehall. It was stressful, but he had arranged himself with it. Thankfully with Wendy he had someone by his side who didn’t usually complain and knew how dutiful he was.

The glare she offered Gareth when he had askede for her phone was palpable, she would've already used it if she had it! Wouldn't she? Though her eyebrows softened, she hadn't been thinking clearly. Had she even checked for her phone? She offered an apologetic smile before patting herself down searching, searching, and finding nothing.

He felt the glare but refrained from saying anything. Of course she could have called it a stupid question, but right now, in this whole mess, nothing was really stupid. This was just pure survival, trying to get out of that building before any more detonations could go off and bury them under the rubble. When Wendy did pull out her phone – no matter how damaged it was – he couldn’t help his eyebrow rising. He didn’t say anything, though. He just took the phone and turned it in his hands. “We are on the seventh now…” Gareth muttered, eyeing Wendy’s phone from every angle as if he could just magically urge it to turn itself on even though it was crushed. He tried the button a few times, pressing it longer, then for a short moment, again and again. But nothing. It stayed dead.

"Hmmm." Maria just hummed because she had a funny feeling that Bond wouldn't have admitted to Gareth he was helping him because he liked him. Just like she imagined Gareth would never admit to helping Bond if it came down to it. "Well, I still think Italy isn't exactly the actions of someone who is just helping you because of me." Maria added.

His brow rose. Really, he thought he knew Bond enough to be aware the man wasn’t all too keen on Gareth. He was still grieving his predecessor’s death, who had been like a mother for him. Gareth, on the other side, didn’t have that kind of relationship with the agent. It was purely professional, the two men were keeping their distance. Although Bond really was rather hostile towards him for whatever reason; it did pain Gareth that the agent sometimes went behind his back, showing him he didn’t trust him. He didn’t say any more on the matter, though. He also didn’t tell Maria that he believed Bond only helped in Italy not just because of Maria, but because he simply didn’t want yet another superior who was potentially even worse than Gareth.

Vera did not have the strength to grasp his hand tightly, but she tried. She wanted him to feel the fight still inside her. To know that she was still his own Dr. Vera Nair, even beside herself with grief.

She really was a changed person, and it pained him to see Vera like this. The grip on her hand tightened a bit, and Gareth swore silently that he wasn’t going to let go of it anytime soon. If any doctors or nurses wanted him to leave the room, he would refuse. He would fight tooth and nail to stay by her side, no matter for how long. His free hand moved to gently stroke over her cheek, brushing a curl of hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear. Useless, though. She looked like an absolute mess – and he figured he didn’t look any better after this whole ordeal.

"Correct answer." Maria teased giving his hand a squeeze before he let go of it. She didn't mean it, of course, she'd never have made Gareth give up anything for her. Especially not the army, not given how much he loved it, loved his career.

Eating the last bite of the slice of toast, Gareth then leaned back in his chair and rubbed his hands over his face, sighing. It didn’t matter – none of those options seemed like the right one. It was a delicate matter, one that didn’t allow any mistakes, because those could cost him his entire career and drag down others with him, in the worst case. He really was at a loss right now.