James Bond 1. Chapter 1

As the yelling dies down M hands Bond a folder for his next mission. A punishment for the chaos he cased in Morocco.

Bond sits and attempts to look contrite with the fingers of his hands intertwined in his lap while he listens to M go on and on about responsibility and cost.

Who the hell cares! Bond doesn't and he cares little for M's constant controlling nature. If Bond has to hear the term **_accountability_** one more time he may resign. They would be lost without him…that's why he gets the shit jobs.

Bond is at his best when the job gets dirty…really dirty. Bond cleans up the messes that no other agent can manage. M thinks he has a death wish and in the last six months it is becoming clear that there is something wrong with him.

Bond knows his problem…he has no life…just work. Only Tanner,Q and Moneypenny could be considered friends and a few of the other 00's but they are rarely together unless a mission requires. M is not…a friend.

Bond promises to carry out the babysitting job he has just landed to correct his behaviour…as if looking after some important woman will be a challenge…the biggest challenge he has looking after women is getting them to leave his bed.

The women in question is a retiree and is important enough that MI6 is worried about her being kidnapped…that usually means she is rich too…some duchess or titled dame that has information from her or her husband's business dealings that make her a target.

There is a ball…a lot of government agencies will be involved and a few minor royals to make security a top priority. Bond shakes his head as he leaves M's office. This is a waste of his time and talents.

M says that this asset needs protecting and that the woman slips her guards with a frustrating disregard to her own safety. Sound like a torturous night for him. Apparently her other guards have been given the month off and now Bond's indentured to her as the bodyguard she does not want and a guard that does not want her.

M is doing this to be frustrating…thinking Bond will not seduce an older woman. If M only knew…

The government gets all riled up about people who do not have any major need for protection while in their own environment. If the lady needs to travel abroad then his services will be necessary but here with so much security it's redundant.

That reminds Bond he must bring his passport when he packs his bag. On top of everything Bond will likely stay in the servant quarters in the woman's home.

Bond leaves to go get ready. He grabs a bite and a drink before changing into his tux and heading to the hotel to meet the woman he is to look after. The suite he is staying in tonight is hers room 2103.

Bond arrives at the hotel promptly at 6 and makes his way to the desk to have them ring up to the room. The concierge hands Bond a keycard and tells him that Madame wishes to have 20 minutes and then he may go ahead to the suite.

Bond just nods and rolls his eyes as he heads to the bar. He orders a gin and tonic and observes the room. There are a few early party goers milling about the lounge and security is everywhere. The grand ballroom is buzzing with staff along with all the guards.

Bond empties his drink and goes to the gents before going up to the suite. Bond is about to use the key as the door opens to reveal an older gentleman with a slight flush to his face.

"Oh…you are?"

"Bond, James Bond, Madame's security for this evening."

"Ah…yes come in she is still getting ready…I have delayed her." The man smiled and winked at James insinuating a liaison of some kind just transpired.

"Sorry and you are sir?"

"Where are my manners…I am just distracted…if you know what I mean, Mr. Daniel Connor."

"Nice to meet you, have you known each other long?"

"Yes…yes, years. I was a friend back in university but we have only become reacquainted since her husband died and she retired. Well, I will see you both down at the party…she does't want me to see her new gown until the party…it will be smashing I am sure."

Bond smiles and agrees with the man without any inkling of what the lady looks like. Connor is a handsome man…at least 60 he is guessing she is around the same age.

"She may need you my lad…the last time we attended an event…smaller than this one I had to practically fight for any attention through a sea of admirers."

Bond continues to smile thinking that is fairly normal if she's a rich widow her looks would have nothing to do with it. Bond silently curses M as Bond's month of tedious lunch dates and shopping excursions loom before him in his mind's eye.

Connor left and Bond moves into the suite. There is soft music playing and there is a discarded scarf on the love seat. Bond picks up the piece of silk and smells a lovely expensive perfume.

The merry widow must have made out with Connor before he called…Bond might face her wrath for the interruption…oh well.

Christ he hopes she isn't a cougar, If she spends the evening pawing at him…

At that very moment M sends Bond a text, _protect and do not interfere with_…which Bond takes to mean NO fooling around.

M is trying to spoil any fun he could possibly have on this mission. What if this is a friend of M's? Bond text's the question to M and receives the reply.

_YES, so hands off, not that she would ever let you…she is very choosy._

OOOOHHH how Bond loves a challenge. Just to be a prat he texts M back.

_Challenge accepted!_

_BOND! You wouldn't dare. Not with her…wait you haven't seen her yet have you?_

_Not yet._

_LOL…ok good luck Bond, from what I've heard you may have to get in line._

_There was a man who let me in the suite._

_Told you…you, are outclassed by this one. Be on you best behaviour or I will it 6 months._

Bond sits in a chair and waits for the old girl to make her appearance. The door to the room opens.

Bond's eye open wider as he takes in a vision... Olivia Mansfield in a stunning off the shoulder black gown with long sleeves and a plunging neck line that draws the eye to her bosom and the white flesh of her shoulders and the long graceful arch of her neck.

Olivia smirks and raises an eyebrow at her former agents expression. The unflappable Bond, James Bond is flushing red as he stares not too secretively at her cleavage.

"So this is M's way of punishing both of us is it? I take it he didn't tell you who you were babysitting tonight?"

Bond smiles the first genuine smile he has smiled in the last 6 months since she retired.

"M…I…you look lovely ma'am. It is nice to see you again and no he did not tell me that the trouble making woman I would be guarding for the next month would be you."

"A MONTH! What in hell did you do to deserve this month of torture? For that matter, what the hell did I do to deserve this month of torture? I only shook the last idiots a few times just to see if I still had it."

"M you definitely still have it." Bond says with a flirtatious wink and smirk.

Olivia…Mansfield, I know you know my real name and now you are actually allowed to use it. Stop the act…I doubt M wants you to seduce me for information when he now has access to it himself."

"You always take all the fun out of everything M…Olivia. Is it in the M handbook or something?"

"As if you could…"

"Oh I could…I am well-trained at it remember."

"Not that well-trained if you have to babysit me. I am afraid that all these so-called talents would be wasted on me."

"Challenge accepted!"

"What? What challenge?"

"Seduction, my dear M...Olivia."

With that he approaches her and takes her hand and brings it to his mouth while his bluest of blue eyes meet her dark blue orbs and twinkle in delight. Bond suddenly feels a euphoric lightness in his being.

Christ he has missed her. Since the dismal fall out of Skyfall they were forced their separate ways. MI6 had her move to the Bahamas or so he believed.

"I thought they packed you off to the Islands to spend your retirement. In fact I was hoping to come visit if work ever took me back there."

"Oh they did…Bond can I have my hand back now…thank you." Olivia moves to the bar in the corner and raises a lovely eyebrow in his direction.

"Yes, thank you…if you don't mind your guard being a little light-headed in your presence ma'am."

"Bond give it a rest…it will not work on me…I know you too damn well for this game."

"What if it's not a game?"

Olivia stares at him as she hands him a tumbler of Scotch. She brings her own to her lips and tosses it back. She watches as Bond does the same.

Olivia shakes her head. "Bond your plans to manage a tryst with whoever you were to guard tonight just to alleviate your boredom and piss off M are not going to happen so please turn it off for tonight will you."

Bond frowns at her…she doesn't see it…or won't allow herself too. He is not playing a game.

Olivia walks past him and Bond grabs her arm twirling her back towards him. "Who is Connor to you, ma'am?"

Olivia looks down at his hand that grasps her arm and back up to his face in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play so coy M…is he your lover?"

"It is none of your business if he is, but no he's not…"

"Good."

"Why Bond, does the thought of having to hear two older people have relations in the next room disturb you?"

Bond's hand is still locked on her arm as they gaze at each other for a moment.

"Yes, because then I would be picturing you as well as being forced to hear you receiving pleasure from another man's mouth and body. That…that would be a torture worse than anything I have experienced in the past."

For a moment something passed across her face…concern disbelief and fear…she looked at him with sadness and pity. Olivia knows the physical and mental abuse he's been put through over the years, because of orders she gave.

"Stop…I said."

"Stop?"

"Stop the act."

"And I told you it's not an act. I've missed you M…so much."

M smiles and whispers to him as she walks to the door. "I missed you too dear boy."

Where did this all come from…yes Bond has always thought her incredibly sexy…the ways her eyes flash at you when she is pissed…holding her when she almost died was harder than pulling Vesper's water-logged body from that building in Venice.

Bond follows her to the elevator and her perfume assaults his senses as they make the journey to the ballroom.

"I found your scarf discarded on under a sofa cushion…it smelt of your lovely perfume."

M blushes as she looks at him. "I wondered where that went."

"I assume it has something to do with Connor…and the flush on his face when he left the room."

M places her hands on her hips. "Bond…stop. I do not need to justify what I do to you."

"No…no you don't…I'm just jealous."

"Please Bond. I already asked you to stop the act. You would actually seduce me just to feed your over inflated ego?"

"No…I would seduce you because of how I feel about you."

"Oh please…just make yourself unnoticeable and if you accomplish that much tonight I will be impressed. I will likely have to pull some jealous husband off you at some point tonight after you steal off with the wife to the bloody cloakroom."

Bond smiles at her and does something he has always wanted to do but never could buck up the courage to actually do, he kisses M. His lips feel the softness of hers as she momentary yields to him…seconds….milliseconds of joy until her hand meets the side of his face in a slap that reverberates in the depths of his very being.

"What the hell!"

"M I have desired you since the day I met you and you are a stubborn idiot to think anything about this is an act."

The elevator doors open and an angry and perplexed M walks towards the ball without looking back at Bond.

Bond's behaviour is confusing her…she can't lie, she did miss him…fighting with him, running for her life with him. The man is beautiful beyond belief. She will likely have to protect him tonight. Connor wants to come back to the suite tonight…she was planning on seeing where that would go but now…it seems wrong.

The ball is full of politicians and dignitaries that are hovering around M, as more than a few flirt and she flirts right back.

Olivia is far more relaxed than when she was M and the beauty of her smile is transcendent. Olivia has a group of five men hanging off her every word for her tale. They're enthralled and so is Bond.

A few other women approach Bond with flirtatious winks trying to separate him from his post of guarding the most enthralling women in the room.

Daniel Connor stands by her side placing his arm around her waist staking his claim. Olivia is having none of his masculine show of ownership and links arms with and admiral that she knows and excuses herself to the dance floor.

Bond felt bad for Connor but then he should know better than to stake claim on a woman like M.

M spends 20 minutes dancing moving from one man to the next. Bond watches her and notices her discomfort at dancing with the current gentleman. Bond knows her body language and she is stiff in his embrace.

Bond is about to move towards them and sees the man kiss her neck and grab her ass. M pushes him away and heads to the WC looking at Bond as she storms past.

Bond approaches the man. "Excuse me what is your name sir?"

"Lionel Harding."

"Do you know that woman?"

"Yes, of coarse…Mansfield…she is a cute little fox."

"You would be wise to keep your hand to yourself in the future."

"What! You her bloody keeper?"

"No, but I am the man who will break your hand the next time you touch her. I mean it, not even a bloody handshake in the future Mr. Harding."

The man just looks at the expression on Bond's face and walks away. Bond moves to the exits of the WC to wait for M.

When she exits she glares at him. "That man is a drunken fool."

"I already spoke to him and he will not get close to you again. To show him that I am serious, would you do me the honour of a dance ma'am?"

M smiles up and him and allows Bond to take her hand and guide her to the dance floor.

"I have to say, M you are far more animated now that you're retired at one of these functions."

"Well, the pressure is not on me to negotiate or explain your excessive costs to these men now and stop calling me M."

"Why are you here, Olivia?"

"Ha you will never believe it if I tell you."

"Try me."

"M asks me to come in place of him. Apparently he came to three and made no headway at all. The members that he did speak to kept asking about me…it turns out that they looked forward to speaking with me in a social setting…possibly a dance. In other words over the years I wore them down to a level of acceptance for a female head to the organization and they missed it."

Bond is enjoying holding her like this and understands their motivation immediately.

"So they missed you…not just any female department head M…Olivia. M is a sly dog when he needs to be and you are the bone he is tossing to all these aging men. Face it Olivia you got under their skin and if they have to attend a formal function you are the one bright beacon of light in an otherwise grey bureaucratic nightmare of an evening."

Olivia smirks up at him as he stares down in wonder at her. Bond is behaving very strangely tonight. Flirtation and Bond are constant companions but this is something different. The difference is that she is no longer his boss.

The relationship is fundamentally different now…if there is a relationship. Bond is her bodyguard now for an entire month…this is not something she every imagined happening. The two of them have not been in such continuous contact since…Skyfall.

"You're enjoying all of this Bond…I can honestly say that it is a shock to me that you are."

"Why wouldn't I be? I get to move in with a beautiful woman for a month and that is plenty of time to…"

"To what Bond? Drive me insane…to drink all my Scotch and who the hell says you are moving in with me?"

"I am your bodyguard now Olivia so I must be around your body….constantly."

"Harumph…the other guards were content to stay outside in the car until I went out…so why on earth would you have to do anything different?"

"Mainly because I want to and I plan on seducing you."

"Stop it Bond…I said I would not have this teasing…"

"Teasing…I told you I was deadly serious and I love a challenge."

"So it would be for your amusement this challenge of getting me drunk enough to let you screw me?"

"Olivia…please give me more credit than that…I told you I meant it and I…I've missed you terribly and I want you more than anything."

"Oh and why is that Bond? For an entry in your little black book of conquests, or are you preparing a manual for the next generation of 00's on how to seduce older marks or you department head?"

"I told you the truth in your room and the elevator…I want you…badly…I did not lie so now it is for you to consider and decide if you want me too."

The song ended and another gentleman asked Olivia for a dance. Bond moved off the dance floor to get a drink and observe his charge.

Olivia attempted small talk with her new dance partner but her mind was elsewhere. Bond is starting to piss her off. There is no way she believes that he wants to do anything more than get sweaty in her bed for a night or two and then move on to greener pastures.

Bond is standing beside Connor now and the two of them are watching her dance with this junior minister. Olivia need some air and would like to go privately so she guides her dance partner into a throng of other dancers.

Olivia excuses herself from her partner and heads quickly out a side exit. She moves down the corridor quickly to the back of the ballroom that opens up to a balcony and terrace. Olivia positions herself behind a potted tree and leans against the stone railing looking out over a small garden.

It is a nice evening and the clouds have given away to a partial moon with the smattering of stars bright enough to be visible through the deluge of lights that make up London at night. The balcony's stretched out over the back and right side of the building creating an L pattern.

Olivia's small corner on the left side cannot be easily viewed because of potted plants and a lilac bush that has grown up in that corner of the garden. So it is here that she can remain hidden from Bond for a bit to calm her nerves and anger at her former agent for playing games with her.

Why the hell should Olivia think on her feelings for him when it is all irrelevant. M likely put him up to this…for some reason he is often finding men to accompany her places…his way of keeping an eye on her so why would Bond be any different.

Daniel had been a younger friend of her husband in University and Olivia knew the young man had a crush on her when they met…Nigel and he had a falling out and she never saw him again until Nigel's funeral.

They exchanged a few phone calls but she was still M then and had little time for a personal life. Daniel called a few months after Skyfall and they began seeing each other regularly. Daniel is not her plus one to this event he has other connexions in the government and business dealings with the European parliament.

Maybe Olivia could disappear to Daniel's suite for the night to annoy Bond…but really she didn't feel strongly for the man. Daniel spent all his time trying to impress her with his importance…not knowing what she did for the last 20 years…he didn't really ask more than a few times what she had been up too.

Daniel must have some inkling…the PM greats her by her first name and shared first dance with her earlier. In retrospect Daniel did not act all that surprised that she danced with the Prime Minister. Olivia shakes her head…she is getting paranoid and seeing conspiracies everywhere. Bond, Daniel and M all trying to hook her into…something….something that she is not ready for.

Ever since retirement Olivia feels that men are trying to force her into what they perceive she is supposed to do and quite frankly she is not used to taking orders from others. She is too old and stubborn to change at this stage. Maybe Bond is right about that and maybe he is sincere…the kiss he gave her in the elevator…the way he held her at Skyfall. The two of them had walked on the moors of hell that night and it was impossible for them to go back to the way they were after. She recovered and he went on missions. They forced her out and to the islands so he could not drop in unannounced. They called her back because they needed her…to do this.

Olivia the old M is now a lobbyist for the SIS cause. Well, it does keep her busy and she gets to find out what is going on in that world…as much as M trusts her with anyway. M mentioned before her briefing tonight that there is interagency party in Washington in three weeks that he would like her to attend with him. Their meeting, debrief on this evening will be on tomorrow and they will make plans for Washington then.

Olivia hears a familiar voice behind her to the right of her cubby of seclusion.

"Where did she go?"

"I don't know she has been in the arms of everyman here tonight."

"I thought you would have negotiated yourself into her bed by now…what's the problem?"

"I've tried but she is not an easy nut to crack it isn't like the woman doesn't have an array of men jockeying for her attention tonight. Now with that new bodyguard…christ like she will give me a second glance with that one around."

"Do you want me to take him out so you can make your move?"

"That will be too obvious if he disappears…MI6 will know something is wrong."

"We need the information she has and if bedroom talk does not loosen the old gals lips then we will have to resort to captivity."

"No…I want to try it this way first…she is very stubborn always has been. I love her too much to see her kept captive and drugged and mentally tortured for what she knows."

"It is not up to you in the end and if you don't find out within the month then plan B will take place. Our sources say that she's off to Washington at the end of the month with the current M…this may be a good opportunity for us. Did you find out where her children live? Their names were from view…classified."

"Not yet…I'm trying get her back to my suite or hers. I've tried to get her into my bed since I met her over 40 years ago."

"We need leverage as stubborn as she is, I'm sure if we threaten to kill her son and or daughter she will cave. You need to get back in there and sweep her off her feet."

"I know but sometimes these things take time and it's not like I can impress her over any of the other men in there asking her out to the dance floor."

"I swear it's as though you don't want too. I would love to be in your shoes…I danced with her earlier…the bodyguard threatened me for manhandling her. She's a doll…nice ass...very attractive."

"I know that! Keep your bloody hands to yourself…now that Bond character and Olivia know that you're a drunken lout….maybe we can use that."

"What?"

"Go back in and find her…paw at her some more and I will intervene and take her back to one of our suites…she may be grateful for my interruption."

"What about Bond?"

"Dance her out here where it's nice and quiet and make a pass at her."

"All right let's go find her."

Olivia releases the breath she has held slowly. How is she going to play this? She needs Bond, no she needs to go along with it and get Daniel to her suite. She takes out her cell and calls M…gives him the gist of what is going on and he agrees.

_I will collect Harding, have Bond bring him outside the party…Who are they working for?_

"I don't know M but we have to find out or our trip to Washington will be compromised from the inside."

Bond has searched the ballroom for 20 minutes and is about to call Q to find her by her tracker soon. James is beginning to panic that something has happened to her when she enters the ballroom and gets ushered to the dance floor once again by Connor.

As Bond's panicked breathing returns to normal he notices they are dancing very close…damn it M…Olivia is leaning her head on his shoulder with her eyes shut. Connor is all smiles as he holds her close moving about the floor. Bond goes for a drink now that he knows where she is.

Olivia allows him to manoeuvre her over behind some obstacles out of Bond's view. She sees Harding and braces herself for what is about to happen. Connor suddenly excuses himself for the gents.

Bond cannot see her again and he begins walking through the dancers to see Connor alone as he heads out the side terrace doors.

Olivia is out there…no wait she is dancing or being pulled along by that idiot Harding, he threatened earlier.

"Come to the terrace darling it is a beautiful night."

"I think I would rather stay inside."

"Don't be a difficult woman…and know your place."

"What! Know my place…you have no idea."

They had cleared the doors of the building as he pulled her outside. Harding pulled her mouth to his and pushed her forcible up against he stone railing near her earlier hiding spot.

Daniel Connor walked towards them purposefully just as Bond exits to take in the scene.

Bond's vision clouded in anger as he runs forward. Connor beats him to the man as he pulls him off Olivia. The man Harding swore and took a bad swing as Bond traps his arms from behind.

"Olivia are you all right?"

"Yes…Daniel thank you for intervening." Olivia held his arm and lowered her head to his shoulder as they look at James who is fuming in anger.

"I will escort him outside ma'am."

"Yes, Mr. Bond and I will be going back to the suite now."

"I will escort you my dear."

"I will be up after I deal with him ma'am."

Olivia nods at Bond and allows Daniel to escort her to the room.

Bond roughly pulls the man through the service corridors as he receives a call. He answers and after a moment looks at the car…M walks towards him.

"What is going on?"

M has others come and cuff Harding and toss him in a car.

"Didn't Olivia tell you? She called me... over heard their plans to use her for information. Connor's involved with him."

Bond's eyes go wide and he bolts back inside and to the elevators. Shit she is with him alone…how could she not tell him!

The elevator is painfully slow.

Connor pulls her to him as soon as they enter the room. Damn it…Olivia was hoping to stall until James returned. She gives as good as she can back and gives an exaggerated moan.

Connor suddenly backs her towards her bedroom as she looks over his shoulder hoping to see Bond push through the door…shit the security lock is in place…she didn't see him do that. Olivia breaks the kiss and moves towards the bar instead.

"I could use a drink, how about you?"

"I want you dear…only you will quench my thirst."

What an idiot…hurry up Bond.

Connor suddenly picks her up and carries her into the bedroom kicking and locking the door behind them and plopping her on the bed.

Olivia has to decide how to play this without angering him. Daniel toes off his shoes and grasps her shoes and pulls them off her feet trailing his hands up her legs as he does it. Olivia resists the urge to kick him and giggles instead.

Bond tries the door and the security bar is in place. There is a separate exit for his room so he moves around the corner in the hall and tries the lock. Bond enters and hurriedly moves through the room into the suite he reaches her door and listens for a moment trying the handle quietly.

Olivia laughs and says… "Stop, Daniel…I'm ticklish."

"You have the sexiest legs…Olivia."

Bond has heard enough and kicks the door in grabbing Daniel by the collar and pulling him off the bed. Daniel takes a swing at Bond yelling at him for interrupting.

"He is not interrupting Daniel. Who are you working for?"

"What do you mean…I'm here just trying to get close to you…you know how I feel about you…how I have always felt about you and I'm self-employed and you know that."

Olivia gets off the bed and crosses her arms under her breasts and she begins to pace before him. Bond has a zip tie around his hands behind his back and pushes him down to a kneeling position in front of M…Olivia.

"We have your accomplice and I overheard you in the garden. It is stupid to think I would spill state secrets to you so easily. As if sex could addle my mind to the point of treason…I didn't for 45 years of marriage and I loved him. What makes you think you're adequate enough to change that?"

Silence…Bond kicks him to get him to talk.

"Drugs…I was giving you small doses in drinks to get you to tell the truth. The last drink I gave you had the largest dose and within an hour you will answer whatever asked of you truthfully."

Bond's eyes shoot to look at hers…and Olivia's widen in shock which she covers and looks back down at him. Olivia leans down in front of him and begins searching his pockets for the drug.

Daniel leans in towards Olivia again but Bond pulls him away from her before he can put his lips on or near her. She gets up and takes the vile and hands it to Bond.

"What do you want done with him ma'am?"

"Take him to base will you Bond and give the vile to the proper hands."

"What about you…you need a guard."

"I will be fine and likely be asleep when you return."

"I can easily have a car come and get him."

"I need someone I trust on this one Bond and you are that person, so please do what I ask without making my life difficult."

"Yes, ma'am…I will return shortly."

Bond pulls Connor to his feet and drags him into the hall to the service elevator. Olivia is trying to get rid of him because she has truth serum running through her system and if he asked her anything…she would have to answer.

Olivia showers and gets ready for bed. Thoughts and answers to questions going through her head as she imagines being asked…visualizing the answer and holding it in by biting her tongue. It is a battle within herself…a battle of control over her mouth.

_Yes, I love you dear boy…I have for years and it is foolish for an old woman to feel this way but I do. Why on earth would you want one such as me? It is a betrayal of Nigel…having fallen in love with an agent while still married…this cannot come out…it must remain hidden._

The first meeting between them replays in her mind as she lashes out at Bond, coolly as a reflexive action and because of what he is doing to her internally. For christ sake she is a married mother of two nearing 60 at the time but she has never been so attracted to a man in her life and damn him if he doesn't know full well the effect he has on women.

Olivia made a vow then, to never give any indication of anything more than frustration at his actions. She will never be one of the many that Bond so carelessly uses and casts aside…she is above it. She went home that night and initiated sex with her husband but still…he was there in her mind.

Poor Nigel…she loved him and always had…they were opposites and that worked for them though out their married life but Bond…Bond was…he was all the things she wished she could have been…the idea of field work had always intrigued her but for a female agent the dangers were greater…

Bond returns to the room and goes to check on M. He peaks in and sees her tossing and turning in her sleep. She looks cute and tousled in the big bed alone…damn he wants to join her but…

Only if she says yes…she would need to be awake for that. Bond closes her door and moves into the suite deciding that he'll stay there and make some noise…maybe she will wake up and investigate.

Bond loosens his tie and unbuttoned the top three buttons of his shirt and removes his coat. He clicks on a small lamp on the table beside him and leans back against the back of the sofa to stare at the door to M…Olivia's room….he has to stop thinking of her as M…she is just a woman now.

Just a woman who the hell is he trying to kid…she will never be just a woman to him. Olivia Mansfield's entitled to bed whoever she likes…and he desperate for it to be him but she doesn't want him…because she doesn't think he is sincere in his flirtations. She may have ended up in bed with that man if she had not over heard his plans.

Connor spoke of her the entire way to base without Bond prompting him. The man had crushed on her hard in university until Mansfield had enough and punched him out telling him to stop following her around. Connor kept tabs on her for years but then they dropped off the radar…as M became higher in MI6 they scrubbed the trail clean.

Skyfall…bloody Skyfall. M was in the news after the incident…her retirement and titles given as a matter of public record and then… bam… she's back. There will be men from her past looking for her…men like Connor. M is an idiot for bringing her back from the Bahamas…just to get out of a few formal occasions. It was too soon, apparently 6 months was not enough to hide her effectively. Although, enough time to torture Bond with her absence.

Olivia tosses and hears a noise. She crawls out of bed…two hours have passed. It must be Bond. She quietly goes to the door and opens it. Bond's head is resting on the back of the sofa facing her door. On the arm there is a tumbler of Scotch resting gently in his hand. Light snoring comes from him.

Before Olivia realizes it she is in front of him in nothing more than a fitted negligée. She gently grasps the glass out of his slackened hand and picks it up. Suddenly James comes to life and his hand grabs her wrist.

"M….what…time's it?"

"It's 3 am you can go to bed in your room now so that the snoring will not keep me awake all night."

Bond is still holding her wrist as he looks her up and down…his heart rate increases when he sees her in such a state of undress. His breathing changes as do his eyes.

This moment seems fraught with danger and possibility. Olivia silently curses herself for not getting a robe before exiting her room. His eyes have darkened and her own breathing has become shallow as they gaze at each other.

Bond takes the whiskey out of her hand without removing his hand from her wrist. Bond's left hand rises the drink to his lips as he downs it. The thumb of his right hand caresses her wrist. Bond puts the glass down on the table and snakes his arm around her back as he moves her back to her bedroom silently.

Olivia follows not saying anything…her heart pounding anticipating what may come. Bond sits her on the edge of her bed and pulls her legs up so that she is lying down. Bond covers her with the blankets and leans down to kiss her forehead. He does not say a word…no questions…no more talk of wanting to sleep with her…nothing. Olivia was expecting questions…he wants to know how she feels about him. All the things she does not want to give voice too but would be forced to divulge because of the drug in her system.

Bond stares down at her in the dimly lit room wanting to ask but not this way…this should and will take time…nothing truly worthwhile is easy and talking his way into her bed while she's drunk or drugged is not the way he wants to do it.

Bond leans down close to her and speaks lovingly into her ear. "I want you but not like this…I love you too much M…Olivia."

Bond kisses her cheek turns and leaves her room.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Bond settles into Olivia's flat, which he's surprised to discover is her old flat.

"I aways knew I would be back, six months of doing nothing almost killed me."

Bond just laughed and agreed with her. Olivia is not an average pensioner. She is not an average anything.

Olivia unpacked as Bond unpacked some of his bag in the spare room. He walked down the stairs to the living area and poured himself a drink to wait for her.

Olivia paces her room not knowing what to do next…she did not relish spending all this empty time with James Bond. Usually when the two of them are together riotous things are happening.

She reluctantly joins him in the living area and takes the drink he poured for her.

"So what does Olivia Mansfield do during the day…do you have any plans today?"

"I have to go to HQ at later to speak with M about what happened and see how the questioning is coming along."

"Do you have any ideas on who is behind this?"

"No…I will have M gather all my personal files and we will bring them home and you can make yourself useful and help me go through them. After Silva we will leave no stone dead or alive unturned."

"Well, I guess it is better than sitting here and staring at you longingly and making you hide in your room for an exorbitant amount of time."

"I was not hiding…I was unpacking."

"You were hiding and you've fidgitd your bloody hands since you came downstairs. M…Olivia I promise you this here and now I will not force you into anything you are uncomfortable with…you decide when you are ready to speak about our relationship as an adult…not a petulant child."

Olivia sits down in the chair across from him.

"AM NOT!"

"ARE TOO! You just proved my point my dear."

"There is no relationship I'm your…"

"NO! No you're not! You are an adult single woman finding excuses in your past position. You are not M…even if I do call you that out of habit and fear."

"I will not be treated like this in my home Bond! You would do well to remember that I was M and can still make your life miserable."

"You have made my life miserable for your absence in the last 6 months…this is the biggest improvement in my station since you made me 00."

"Is this going to be what it's like the entire time you are here pretending to babysit me? You sitting casually on my sofa drinking my best booze and tossing innuendoes at me until I cave just to shut you up?"

"I had not thought of it that way but if it works I will try it…who says I am pretending at looking after you…I pulled that idiot off you last night."

"Tosh…I had that well in hand…I was going to start asking him questions when you burst in the room."

"That is not what it looked like from my angle and you know it…unless you were going to sleep with him regardless of what he was going to ask you? I never took you for a…"

"A what Bond and do be careful or I will tell the female agents of your opinion of what they have to do to get information. You do the same but you enjoy the women you get information from…that is the only difference."

"I don't enjoy all of them…well, the physical is managed easily through fantasy…do you want to know what I fantasize about Olivia?"

"No…that is not necessary…and what about the men?"

"I fantasize about…."

"Stop! I asked you about the men?"

"What about the men?"

"How do you seduce the men? I've always wondered. It has not been all models and beauty queens that you have had to bed for Queen and Country so how does that go. We do usually have enough intel to know the sexual tastes of the targets but it's not always accurate."

Bond shifts uncomfortably on the sofa wondering how she always has this ability to get the upper hand in all conversations.

"The same really but they it usually but more effort on my part. To be honest I have rarely had to carry through on it often. Q branch has some effective sedatives that aid in that."

"On those times that you did how did it make you feel? That is the feeling the female agents feel…the violation of personal space to someone you have little or negative feelings for…it makes you angry…but you survive and you move on…it's part of the job."

"Well, I hope you pay them more."

"We do…I made sure of that the second I took control. It is the one agency in the government that does assure that female field agents make more for the same work."

"So that is why the women at HQ speak of you in such grand ways…you paid them off for their loyalty."

"So if it is all about a pay cheque how did I manage to gain your loyalty…I didn't have it from the beginning…you thought I was a bloody accountant."

"True…Tanner and I thought you were there to make sure naughty boys were kept in line. That only led to many prepubescent like fantasies of you as our head mistress. Tanner liked you imagine you in red and I was black lace all the way."

"BOND! Stop it and do not drag Tanner down into the depths with you."

"He started it…I fact the day we met you Tanner began an office betting pool with the some of the staff to try to classify your lingerie. Style, colour and composition. Then we had to casually attempt to see down your blouse enough to award a winner."

"What!"

"Tanner, yes innocent looking Mr. Bill Tanner was the one that had the lucky job of determining what you were wearing daily because he was your chief of staff…he also won the most money besides myself and the old Q. I am convinced Q cheated…had X-ray glasses I'm positive."

"You had better be joking Bond or I'll…"

"What? What can you do go back in time and slap our naughty boy wrists…that would have enticed us even more."

"I think you're playing me now to annoy me but I am going to let it go…it was a long time ago after all."

"Yes, it was. So we have hours to kill before HQ, what do you want to do?"

Bond wiggled his eyebrows at her provocatively.

"Not that! I need to do some shopping if you're going to live here eating all my food and drinking all my alcohol."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The two of them made their way to the market. It looked to all that glanced like an attractive well dressed older lady and her attentive son holding all the bags as they moved throughout the market.

Bond kept one eye on Olivia and one on the crowds as they moved through the market. Olivia insisted on going to one that she always goes to even though patterns are dangerous. She spoke with a fruit vendor that obviously knows her. Bond listens to the conversation and glances in behind the stall to look for weapons.

As they walk away Olivia says. "Stop being so dower and obvious…everyone thinks you're my son so act like it."

"Your son!"

"Of course. They don't think you're my lover…I told you it was preposterous."

"I doubt your son would spend this much time staring at your ass."

Olivia swats his arm for that one. "Bond…be serious."

"I am…I'm a huge fan of your backside…so is the new M by the way."

"What! Why are you trying to drag all your co-workers through the muck Bond?"

"I am merely trying to prove a point. M loves your ass, so does Tanner…I've seen them watch you walk away."

"Your point is?"

"That you are incredibly sexy and desirable regardless of when you were born and you continue to reject that idea that others find you this way…but they do…a lot of them do. Those men at the ball last night…they wanted you and now that you are a retired widow you have to admit they are trying harder for your attention."

"My personal life and what I chose to do with it is none of your business Bond."

"On one level I agree with you but as a prospective suitor I think the competition is my business. Think of it like this…as M you knew that what the CIA did was none of your business but it did not stop you from trying to know what the hell they were up too at anytime of the day."

Olivia had to laugh at his analogy. "Do you want a list of all the men I've seen since Nigel passed?"

"Just the ones that asked you out on a date."

"There is only Connor... so that one is taken care of…one that I might add was solely motivated by a mission for information."

"You didn't hear the man spill his guts to me on the ride back to base last night Olivia…he has had it bad for you since you were all young…apparently your husband beat him to a pulp and told him to never show his face around you again."

The two of the arrived back home and carried the bags into the house.

"Really? Nigel told me they had a falling out but not that."

"Nigel was trying to separate you from the competition and keep you to himself."

"Well, it was for the best…we did marry and have a life together. Stop putting everything in the wrong place. I am a short woman how the hell do you expect me to reach that when I need it. Here let me…arghhh."

"Ok….ok calm down…what can I do to help…lift you up so you can reach?"

Olivia swats his arm again.

"Owwwwe….I'm going to get a bruise there from all your attacks. Danger pay…I need danger pay."

"I need danger pay with you around Bond."

"Can you stop calling me that…I am trying to call you Olivia the least you can do is call me James."

"I will try…James. How about some tea?"

"Yes, Olivia that sounds lovely…Olivia and James. It has a nice ring to it."

"How many times am I going to have to start my sentences with the word STOP James?"

"Stop what Olivia?"

"Stop all this nonsense about us as a couple."

"I just want you to keep thinking about it…I will weaken you down on the subject and I have an entire month to do it…even a romantic get away to Washington."

"Romantic…ha…I will be M's plus one for that event and you'll be regulated to the corner of the room to watch us from a distance."

"Not if I can help it."

"Stop…James and start making yourself useful will you. Make us some sandwiches while I make the tea. Then you can drive me to HQ and we will begin the investigation into how they knew about Washington and what the hell they want to find out from me that they are sending someone from my past to cozy up to me."

"It is a good thing that I have decided to become your room-mate to protect you better."

"Sure…James we all know how well that went the last time my past came back to kill me."

"OUCH…Olivia that one hit and blew up home…pun intended."

"Very funny…I told you I was sorry about that and besides it was your bloody idea to whisk me off to Scotland."

"What can I say…I just wanted you all to myself, even then…how was I to know Kincade was still alive…and lurking around the corner. I barely had time to check the house before taking you upstairs to show you my old room when he burst in on us…ruining the mood."

"The mood of anxiously waiting for a giant hulking psychotic ex-agent to come murder me. I think he helped a great deal and we have kept in touch since."

The two sat down and began to eat lunch.

"What? You have been in contact with the old man…Why…How?"

"He calls me every week to make sure I'm keeping out of trouble and he even asks about you from time to time."

"Oh really do tell…what are those conversations like? He was never one for the gift of gab…I should think it would be difficult for him to find conversation."

"We talk of the weather, flowers my next visit to Scotland…"

"WHAT? Next you've been back?"

"Yes…I have. I went after I healed a bit to visit Kincade."

"I specifically asked you if there were any other men in your life I needed to be concerned with."

"No, you asked me if there were any other men from my past that asked me out. Kincade is not a man from my past…and he asked me to come stay with him not _out."_

"You stayed with him!"

"Yes…hearing going already James?"

"Why do you have to be so bloody difficult. Are you in fact dating…seeing, sleeping with…having sexual relations of any kind with Kincade on any of these secretive trips to Scotland?"

"They were hardly secretive James…just because you were out of the loop does not mean that others did not know where I was and who I was with."

"You are avoiding the question. Olivia, are you in a relationship with the man who raised me like a father?"

Olivia smirked at him, enjoying his discomfort.

"Worried that it would make me like a stepmother to you James?"

"No and it wouldn't change the fact I want to ravage you…even if you are seeing him."

"James! None of that!"

"I am not one to ever give up Olivia and answer the question."

"I choose not to."

Bond narrows his eyes at her and pulls out his phone. He presses the contacts list and then waits.

"James…what are you doing?"

"Calling Kincade…he would never lie to me."

"I am not lying to you…I am just not divulging all the details of my private life."

"Kincade…yes James. How are you? … Yes…She told me when I last saw her that she has been to visit….you sly old dog….when were you planning on telling me? What exactly is going on between you two? I see…really…next month I suppose I could tag along and come with her…since when would I ever get in your way…yes…well I did know her first…not for lack of trying. She won't bloody believe me…you can see it…she refuses… you have a talk with her when you next speak…no I am not mad…yes…I know it's hard to keep your hands to yourself when she is around. No…the choice is hers in the end…Yes let the best man win. Bye old man."

Bond places his phone on the table and stares at her.

"Did you find the answer you were looking for Bond?"

James just nods sighs and looks down into his empty cup of tea. His pained look saying more than the words he cannot get to exit his mouth and not sound like an ungrateful jerk to the man who raised him.

"I think we should leave this discussion alone as well as the subject and go to work now. I will go freshen up and you get ready to go also."

"Yes ma'am."

Bond watches her climb the stairs as he clears the dishes and takes them to the dishwasher. Kincade…of all the men in this country Olivia has hooked up with his bloody substitute father.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The weeks sped by as they delved into old case files and examined every possible connexion to Olivia that would be interested in her work.

They could not get the answers out of the prisoners and the two men to a secure facility today.

Bond was enjoying spending time with Olivia and the bickering continues in a light-hearted way with the undercurrent of pure desire on his part.

Olivia's amazed that Bond keeps trying. He kept a respective distance physically until last night. There was the occasional caress of the hands while doing clean up but last night he gave her a foot rub.

They were enjoying quietly sitting in front of the fire and having a drink when Olivia pulled her feet up under her on the sofa as she often does but then her foot cramped.

Bond took her small foot in his hand and rubbed it…soothing her cramp and then his hand rubbed up her calf as her legs lay across his lap. Olivia leans her head back and closes her eyes in bliss.

Bond watches her and smiles. This is the first he has been able to break through her defences enough to make a physical connexion. Olivia is the most stubborn person on the planet and guards herself against the pain of a deep relationship.

Kincade told Bond that the two of them are just friends…friends who managed to tumble into bed one evening after drinking far too much. They did fool around but were past the point of consummating the relationship further…_the curse of age lad, the curse of age_. Bond worked on Kincade to get the story from him gradually when Olivia was occupied elsewhere in the house.

Kincade will never leave Scotland and he knows that Olivia is a city woman at heart. Kincade apologizes to Bond for his indiscretion with Olivia.

Kincade knew the minute he saw Bond with M in the house that the lad was smitten by her. Olivia is the most important person in his life and the old man can understand why…she is a very special lady.

Bond thanked him for his candour and told him he would bring Olivia to visit as soon as they are able to get away.

M, Olivia and Bond are making plans for their trip to Washington at the end of the week. Bond and M agree that if anyone is going to attempt to kidnap her it will be very soon or on the trip itself.

Olivia is at a loss to find any possible direction from her files. She cannot come up with identity of the people that want information from her enough to drug her and threaten abduction.

None of this is doing anything to alleviate the anxiety of waiting for the attack to occur. In a sense it would be better to not know it's immanent than to try to maintain a normal life in the meantime.

Bond has limited the amount Olivia goes out and they have taken to playing cards a lot to reduce the boredom of being housebound. Bond owes her 200 pounds…she is an ace at anything to do with cards.

"Why on earth did I have to go to Casino Royale when you could have beaten Le Chiffre without any effort on your part."

"It was your first test Bond…I needed to see if the rumours in the service about you were true."

"And? Do you agree with the gossips in MI6"

"I told you at Skyfall…I did get one thing right."

Bond frowned at the memory of her in his arms loosing consciousness.

"You only said that because you thought you were dying."

"And you only cried because you thought I was."

"I don't like to think about that day…although at night it usually surfaces."

"For me also…that mad look in his eyes…what he said."

"What did he say to you?"

"That only I, could release him from his torment. That the entire thing was all meant to be, that we should die together like that with the same bullet."

"Like lovers you mean."

"In a sense…at the end he must have decided he no longer wished to live."

"Silva did not want to live without you…If you were to die, and let's face it he had unlimited opportunities in the past to kill you. He thought of you as his mother…but there was something more."

"I don't want to talk of this."

"Why…not enough time to soften the blow."

"No…there will never be enough time."

"What is the matter?"

"Regret…it's…"

"Unprofessional…I know. It's your mantra but what is the regret with Silva?"

"That I didn't see it."

"It was earlier in your career and his instability could be hidden better perhaps."

Olivia frowned and something passed behind her eyes that made Bond grab her hand in his. She pulled her hand back swiftly and looked at him with a panic in her eyes that worried and surprised him.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

"That was not nothing…you acted as if you got stung."

"I think I will make it an early night and you already owe me too much money. I don't want to break your bank account."

"What didn't you see Olivia and what has it to do with me?"

"Goodnight Bond."

Bond stands and takes her arm before she can escape upstairs.

"I think I deserve an answer unless you would like to pay to rebuild my home in Scotland."

Olivia looked at him with a pained expression on her face.

"I didn't see how much he…loved…wanted me."

Bond's eyes widened as the information slammed into him and the realization hit. Bond released her arm.

"I didn't…see…yes…christ…it was there all along…on the Island. The two of us…he compared us…this is why…you won't trust yourself to get close to me…I am battling his ghost…his and that of your dead husband. Olivia I don't want to replace Nigel…I know I never could but I am NOT Silva…I swear on the crown and everything we work for…honest."

"I believe you James. I am just wallowing in the past lately. Retirement will do that. I have enjoyed your company but I know it can't last."

"What can't last…my feelings for you or this delightful cohabitation we have been maneuvered into. Because I know that I'm expected to go on assignment eventually but the first…my feelings for you are not childish or fleeting in any way."

"Stop…James. I am too old for you and I could not…"

"I will never leave you…but for work…I swear. I will stay for as long as you will have me."

"What if I am 98 and barely able to stand let alone anything else? Do you really plan on helping me eat and dress myself?"

"That will be my pleasure and I hope to keep you around that long because life without you is a bitter pill to swallow. Just ask at work what I was like the last 6 months."

Olivia smiles at him and allows him to slowly take her into his arms in a hug that she relaxes into completely.

"I will see you in the morning James."

"Do you need me to tuck you in?"

Olivia swats his arm as she laughs at his continued attempt to get her alone in her bedroom.

"Any excuse…you really never do give up do you?"

"Not on us but gambling on cards against you I may have to give up."

"Good night James."

"Good night Olivia."

James releases her from his hug and kisses her lips gently. Olivia does not pull away immediately but waits…and does not slap him this time. James takes this as a good sign.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

7 am James bolts out of bed at the sound of a crash. His gun in his hand he leaves his room and makes his way to Olivia's. He opens the door and points his gun inside the door to see Olivia picking a box of records off the floor and moving them back to her bed.

"Oh…James sorry…it fell off the bed…put the gun away no one has broken into my bedroom armed but you."

"You all right then?"

"Fine…just couldn't sleep…something about all of this…I need to see from a different angle."

"Why did you not go downstairs and do it and not lug these all up here yourself?"

"It was only two boxes and I am not completely in my dotage."

"I never said you were."

"In case I got tired and fell to sleep…it seemed prudent to be in my bed if that happened."

"So what are we looking for?"

"These files are from the 80's during the cold war…I was not a section head nor M so I want to look at these old cases that I analyzed. Specifically the ones that were joint missions with the CIA."

Bond climbs into her bed beside her with the boxes between them and takes a file.

"The CIA…what makes you think they are somehow involved?"

"Washington…the trip to Washington. They seemed to want me to tell them something before the trip. They knew about the trip and unless there is a mole in MI6, then the logical answer is the Americans. They know I am M's plus one for this trip… in order to make the introductions between my administration and M's."

"Valid idea, anything stand out yet?"

Olivia drops another file in her lap and sighs in frustration. "No but it has to be in here somewhere."

"I will try to help but I am very distracted by the fact we are in bed together and you said I couldn't talk my way into your bed."

"You didn't talk yourself in you barged in with a gun and sat down without asking."

"You make me sound like a beast."

"If the shoe fits."

Bond frowns at her and jumps over the boxes between them straddling her legs with his knees and crawling up over her torso. Bond's arms propped himself over her and stared into her shocked eyes.

"So...is this what it will take Olivia...do you like the beast...does it excite you?"

Olivia's heart is beating as she waits for him to do something...she should push him away for such a presumption but he startled her. Olivia body is answering for her...her eyes widen in anticipation...her breathing is shallow and she is positive that he can hear her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

Bond smiles knowingly down at her as he leans in for a kiss.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Olivia is being kissed by James…really...really kissed. The type of kiss that curls your toes and leaves you light-headed. She's being pressed down into her pillows as he moves his body closer to her. Olivia is clutching a file folder to her chest as James lowers himself on her to increase their connexion.

James is pressing his naked chest down towards her body but feels her fist clasping a file between them and he breaks away for a moment.

James takes the file from her and places it beside her and looks back at her with such longing that it terrifies her.

"James…please…I need to use the toilet."

James sighs and rolls off the bed and holds out a hand to help Olivia up.

"I will be right here when you get back."

Olivia nervously darts to her bath, needing to separate herself from his muscular chest and loose-fitting pyjama bottoms that do nothing to hide how stimulated he was by that kiss.

The kiss was….damn it's making her weak in the knees…she needs to get away to breathe and think about what is going on. Olivia opts for a shower to give herself time to cool down before going back into her room.

James knows that he just made her very uncomfortable so he eases back against the headboard and wills the sexual tension from his body. James is well aware that she is hiding from him but climbs back into bed and looks into the second box of files.

Olivia opens the door wrapped in a robe and looks shocked that he is still in her bed…still half naked as he pats the bed beside him urging her to climb back into be with him.

Olivia rolls her eyes at James as they begin going through her files. Switching into work mode to change the supercharged atmosphere of the room. She eases on to her bed determined not to allow him see her nervousness after that kiss.

"Do you have any idea where to start in this Olivia?"

"The only thing I can think of is this case from the 80's where we intercepted a shipment of uranium from the U.S. that ended up heading to Iran. We caught the men responsible and the Americans were not happy that we questioned them first. We did not have them long and they said little."

"What if an American mole thinks you know something…something that they do not want Britain to know about."

"It seems far-fetched but we will put it in the maybe pile. A Mr. Davis was the agent that we turned them over to and he was not happy. I only had one introduction to the man as I gave my part of the trail that led me to the caper. At the time I was a senior analyst and saw a pattern of covert movements in London that needed examining. At the end of Davis' few days with us I saw him leave M's office very upset. M told me that they were insistent that we hand over all the interviews. M says the stubborn man refused to believe that we were not withholding information. "

"That is the problem with this business…no one trusts anyone."

"Exactly…every country has their own agenda…as you had the misfortune to discover in Bolivia."

"Yes, but you trusted me when no one else did…you accepted the misdirection where the Americans only saw the oil."

"I had a capture or kill on you…even though I knew they would never catch you."

"I remember that momentary look of panic on your face when I passed you in the hall."

"Well, you looked like you were going to kill me…I think I had a right to look nervous."

"I was angry…but I would never raise a hand to you…you know that now don't you?"

Olivia turns to face him beside her on the bed. "I know that James but at that moment you were in so much grief and pain over…"

"It wasn't because of love for her…it was all the betrayal…you supporting me in that very moment saved me from going over the edge…I was yours from the second I saw acceptance of my mission in your eyes. Before that I felt you barely tolerated me and after that I knew we were of the same mind."

"You must have felt some need for revenge…she died and your hope for a normal life died with her."

"Revenge…yes you were right about the revenge but not what I was getting revenge for. Shooting that bastard in the leg and then dragging him before you in Italy…that was my duty and I was glad not to kill him…I wanted to know why and even he did not guess where my true anger lie. Having you make the trip from the safety of London to that hole and have him laugh and threaten your life. Mitchell…that was the straw that broke the camel's back."

"You took the picture."

"Yes, I did because I needed to see what her true love looked like and I knew the bastard was still alive and I planned on finding him and we did…didn't we…doing the same bloody thing to another woman."

"Yes, you did and the Canadians were thankful for the tip-off."

"The women I have loved in my life are few and they all loved other men. Even as far back as my first school crush…on a teacher. Vesper had Yusef and you…you had a husband that I assumed you loved to stay together that long."

"Of course I did…it was not a front."

"I didn't say it was…you would never have had children with a fake husband."

"So what exactly are you telling me?"

"I did it all for you…you are where my heart is and it took me some time to work it out…pleasing you…impressing you was important and at first I didn't know why. That began to change in Bolivia when you came to cage me…you had a right to be pissed. The collateral damage…it was too much. I saw what revenge did to Camille and how the fear immobilized her."

"Did you sleep with her?"

"No…why do you ask?"

"You slept with Strawberry Fields?"

"Yes..why?"

"You didn't need to sleep with her nor Vesper for that matter. We are in the business of information but those two women you felt something for them…you didn't have to sleep with them but for pure wish to do so."

"What does that matter? They are both dead."

"Yes, they are James but Camille is not and she may have had information that we could have used at some point."

James was getting frustrated. He put the files back in the box and turning his upper body to stare at Olivia on the other side of the bed.

"Is this leading up to something Olivia? Like why you will not let me get close to you. I was too much like Silva last night and now the women I sleep with get killed. I don't remember getting you up to my room at Skyfall to work out any pre-mission sexual tension and you still almost died in my arms."

"Stop turning this back on me James. Does it really bother you that much that I say no to your advances? Or is it the time?"

"Time?"

"Time it's taking you 007, a lot of time and effort to get an old woman into bed. I assure you it is all me and not you if that will help your ego reconcile itself with this situation."

"What! You are the one that insists this is all an act. I for one have loved this time being around you…even the bickering and swats to my arm, attacks on how I clean or put food away…this time has meant more to me than you can possibly understand. I have never lived with a woman who I've been in love with, until now and I'm enjoying it. Even without having sex, wild crazy lovemaking that lasts for hours until we are so tired we pass out. I want to pleasure you in ways…"

"Stop James! I think we should go have breakfast now. When you get dressed can you please bring these boxes back downstairs. I will make breakfast once I put some clothes on."

James eyes her robe while imagining what is underneath. He continues to stare at her as if willing her to open her robe and tease him as he was just trying to tease her with images of him pleasuring her sexually.

"James, are you going to leave and get showered?"

"I was hoping you would just begin dressing…I promise not to touch, just watch."

"JAMES!"

"Fine. I will bring these to the hallway before bringing them downstairs."

Bond stacks the two file boxes and removes them from her bed. Olivia watches him walk away and admires his backside as he does. Damn him for his suggestive teasing.

Olivia dresses quickly into some slack and a turtle neck and goes to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. James follows ten minutes later with the boxes. The two of them eat in relative silence feeling uncomfortable with what happened between them in Olivia's bed.

Olivia is the first to break the silence and bring the research back into the forefront. Christ she's missed the work...this mission...Bond being around her...it is making her feel useful again...alive for the first time in months.

"We need to go to HQ."

"Why?"

"I need Q to do some digging into some of the CIA agents that I have worked with over the years."

"Have you an idea you would like to share?"

"Not yet but if I am correct about that Iranian mission there will be trouble in Washington when we arrive."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Q is pleasantly surprised to see Ms. Mansfield again even if she has extra work for him to do. The three of them sit around a table with a few old files open.

M…Olivia is looking into all the CIA agents that she has worked with and Mr. Davis is now a deputy director…it will be announced before the conference. The timing coupled with what she remembers about the case is drawing her attention to him.

M dealt with him as section head for the U.K. at the time. Olivia did observe the interrogation of the two men brought in along with others she worked with.

"Can we find out what happened to the two men we questioned after the American took him?"

Q began typing and frowned and then typed some more and got a very concentrating look on his face as he entered more into his computer. Olivia and Bond watched the genius at work and looked at the information on Davis and his rise within the CIA.

"Well, well, well…this is interesting."

"What did you find Q?"

"It looks as though the first man…Burns was killed during a prison transfer but that is not the only suspicious part. Davis it seems has a younger half-brother who was the second man in the case…Mr. Howe."

Bond looks over Q's shoulder to see the image of a young man cuffed to a chair. "Howe…what is the story on him now?"

"He is living in Maryland and has a wife and two children…good job with the government."

Olivia frowned. "What would a man caught with weapons grade uranium be doing out of prison…unless he was a CIA mole into the organization he claimed to work with."

"The funding of the operation came from a wealthy Iranian businessman named Reza, who will apparently be in Washington that weekend also…I see his name on a hotel reservation."

Bond looks concerned. "Which hotel?"

"The four seasons."

"That is the hotel we will be staying at. Do you think this is a coincidence Olivia?"

"Check to see if Davis and Howe are staying nearby Q."

Q types in the names and frowns. "They were both stay at the Fairmount but recently changed their reservations for the four seasons."

"When exactly did they make the change?"

Q looked at Olivia. "The same day M made the reservations for your suite and Bond's room."

"What? I am staying in a different room? Why would M do that?"

"I don't know Bond but there are only two bedrooms in the suite so unless you were planning on bunking in with Ms. Mansfield or M then you would be on a sofa."

Bond frowns and looks at Olivia. "I am the bodyguard so I will sleep on the sofa…Q cancel the reservation for the other room…let's save the government some money."

"I should call M and ask first."

"All right just make it fast and watch to see who takes my old room It is across the hall is it not?"

"Yes, it is."

Q made the call and then looked at his two guests. "M is on his way down."

Olivia asked Q to pull up the old case file but added that she wanted the M of that times personal files if he was able.

Q smiled at the challenge and proceeded to pull up the file from the early 80's.

Olivia smiled when she saw a photocopy image of a hand written note in M's handwriting. It basically said that there was more going on between the Iranians and the Americans than what the official party line had protested since the hostage crisis of 79. Check the physical?

Q read the note. "I wonder what he meant by check the physical?"

Olivia's eyes brightened. "Physical evidence…Q pull up if there was anything taken from the prisoners and not returned."

Q gave a box number from storage. "The list says that there was a notebook, pen, cigarettes and a baseball card."

Bond looked at Olivia. "Are you thinking there is something more that we did not check at the time?"

"Yes and we need that box. James can you go to storage and get it?"

"Get what?" M walked into the room at that moment to see some old files on the table and some images on the screens.

Olivia smiled at M. "We think there is a connexion to a very old case and the physical evidence's needed. Box GB 80-0328. Can Bond go retrieve it with your permission?"

"Yes, and you can bring me up to speed on what we may face in Washington."

Q and Olivia bring M up to date on the hotel reservations and the three men tied to the old case. M was not amused but agreed to cancel Bond's room to see what happens.

"I suppose we could ask for a cot for him, put it in my room so he won't clutter up the suite."

Bond returned with the box. "I will be staying in Olivia's room as she is the body I am currently guarding."

M frowned. "Bond I don't think that will be appropriate…"

"The two of us have lived together for over 2 weeks so I think we are comfortable enough with each other to handle being roommates for a few nights."

"Olivia…is this all right with you?"

"Yes It will be fine…he doesn't snore that badly."

M's eyes widen in shock as he and Q look at each other. "I am not even going to ask how it is that you know that Olivia."

Olivia blushed attractively as Bond just smiled and looked at her discomfort.

"I have a habit of nodding off on the sofa."

"Oh..I see well if that's settled Q please cancel and watch who our new neighbour becomes. I have security that I have chosen personally go in advance and set up nearby to have if something bad happens."

"Good idea M…don't use the local agents incase they are under surveillance."

Olivia frowns. "If we can find out about the hotel arrangements of the CIA they can surely do the same…a group flying in from London and setting up will trip some flags."

"Yes, I thought of that and that is why we are borrowing some friends from the North to drive down to DC under the radar."

Olivia smiled. "That could work, who do you know there M?"

"Blake and Roy. I met them years ago and we got along very well…a little too well to remember some nights and I always felt worse the morning after."

Bond looked at Olivia. "Can we trust another nations SIS as well as our own?"

"Bond these are the descendants of Sir William Stephenson's men and women. They in a sense invented this game, quietly and efficiently to fight the Nazi's with private money. With the goal being to see our three nations act together and share what we have learned. All for the name Queen and country, so yes I trust them."

"I remember that name now…from the academy…the man they called Intrepid."

M nodded. "CSIS said they owed you for tipping them off about Yusef and Quantum."

Q is going through the box of items from storage and putting them in his scanner.

"Well, this is interesting. All of these items have slight radioactive traces and there is something in this pen. It does not seem like an exploding pen...my predecessors loved to make. I think this is an old form of computer tagging. I will have to look at it more and I will let you know what I find."

"Good…I am glad we are on the right track with this. Olivia would you like to go with me to lunch and give Bond some time off from guarding you."

"That would be lovely M, I will freshen up then we can leave."

Olivia leaves for the WC. Bond looks at M. "You will be taking security with you correct."

"Yes Bond…take a breather have a few hours to yourself. I am sure you would love to take a break I know that the girls downstairs have missed you according to Moneypenny."

Q perks up and adds. "How is being the keeper of M…Olivia anyway Bond? I'm surprised you haven't killed each other yet."

"I was just telling her this morning in bed how much I was enjoying being tortured by her and here you two think I'm having a miserable time."

Both men look shocked and exclaim. "IN BED!"

Olivia returned at that moment and rolled her eyes behind Bond as she approached.

"Bond would you quit leading these men on and tell the truth. He heard me drop a box of files at an ungodly hour this morning and barged in my room gun in hand. Then we sat on the bed going through them."

"Come now Olivia you're glossing over the most important part."

Olivia glares at him hands on hips daring him to disclose any other information that may embarrass her.

"What part Bond?"

"I said that I would get into your bed eventually and you said no…but I manage to this morning so if anyone has a pool going…we better give Tanner the date and time for pay out."

Olivia becomes less sever and began laughing. Q chuckled and reddened because there was a betting pool on this very thing.

"M maybe you should ask Tanner to lunch also. I have office betting pools to discuss with him, that I was unaware of until recently." Olivia glances at Bond as she asks.

"I will text him and we will go. Q let us know if you find anymore information imbedded in the physical evidence."

"Have a pleasant lunch."

Q is more than happy not being invited to discuss the office betting pools because he is positive he won this pool.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

There were only 3 days until departure and Q is still working on the physical evidence. Q did email Olivia all the information he was able to get on the Mr. Howe, Mr. Davis and Mr. Reza.

M agreed to look the other way in the investigation giving Q the unauthorized ability to dig as far as his talents would allow for Olivia. M is as concerned as the rest that there is a mole that high up in the CIA.

The CIA made contact with M because of the inquires Q initially made into their system. Q is now using a less direct approach for his searching.

M's back up team is now in place in Washington and the room given up by MI6's reserved for another team member from Mr. Davis' office. This is likely where the surveillance will come from if not an attempt on Olivia's life.

Olivia is angry because all of this would have been irrelevant had she just been left alone. They initiated the investigation because they think she knows something she does not. Now MI6 knows a lot more information and will turn it over to the director of the CIA.

How many times is her past going to come back to haunt her?

Bond accompanies Olivia shopping for clothes for the trip. There is no one watching them really closely but he remains observant. Olivia is about to try on some gowns so Bond surprises the staff by going back and searching the changing rooms before she enters.

Bond finds nothing and sits in the chair provided just outside the change rooms. The staff of the high-end store get over their shock at his actions and get on with their work.

Olivia exits the room in a dark green strap-less gown. "I don't think this one will do…what do you think?"

"I will have a difficult time watching the room with that much of you on display. I think something covering your shoulders…they distract the eye as much as your other assets."

The next gown is black and has long arms and goes up to her neck. Bond likes it until she turns around and there is no back.

"Why on earth would you wear something that allows men's sweaty hands all over your bare back while they pull you close to dance….no…I forbid it try again."

"You forbid it?"

"I need to protect your body so you must be less…much less noticeable. I don't want any other men making passes at you like last time."

"So you want me to pick a dress that comes up to my neck, covers my shoulders and back. I feel like I'm shopping with my father for my first dance."

"Go back in there and try the next gown so I can take you to lunch and then get you back to the safety of our little love nest."

"Ha…very funny…love nest…it's my home not our love nest."

Olivia disappears into the back. In a few minutes wearing a stunning red gown that has long sleeves covers her shoulders but plunges in the front and back.

Bond's eyes go wide and he shifts in his seat while pointing back to the change room.

"NO!"

"But…"

"NO way!"

"I like this one."

"If you buy it you can only wear it around the house while I'm there and no other men. The only thing that dress is good for is taking off you slowly before pouncing on you. Because, that is what all the men there will be imagining when they see you."

"Bond! Don't make a scene. I have a black and a blue gown left to try on and hopefully one will meet with your approval."

The black dress is classy but the arms pinched her so she did not bother to show it to him. Suddenly there is a knock on her changing room door.

"Yes?"

"I was just checking you were being a long time and I got worried."

"I did not like the black one so I am just getting the blue one on."

Olivia opened the door. Bond looked her up and down his eyes intensifying with desire and smirk on his lips.

"I take it you like this one."

The gown was Grecian and a dark blue. The sleeves barely covered her shoulders and the V neck showed a respectable amount of cleavage but not as much as the red dress that opened practically to her waist. It fell from beneath her breasts to the floor in layers of light material that moved with her.

"You look stunning…still to alluring for a group of old men that will be drooling all over you but definitely you, my dear Olivia."

"Thank you Bond. I will change and we can go."

"Do you need me to come in and help you change?"

Olivia swats his arm and points to the exit. Bond sighs and walks away, noticing a man in the store that he saw earlier out on the street. Bond passes behind him looking for a bulge in his jacket indicating a weapon.

There is one and the man heads to the back of the store and the changing area. Bond follows him becoming tense as he gets closer to where Olivia is.

Olivia exits the changing area distracted with 4 gowns in her hand. The man moves towards her and Bond strikes out at him knocking him to the ground then flipping him over with his gun in his face.

Olivia looks up startled and pulls out her phone. She reaches M and tells him to get someone here giving him the address and shop name. Bond zip ties his hands and tosses him in the chair while Olivia goes and buys the dress and explains away the attack that just occurred.

"What are you doing here? Look you can save yourself a world of pain by telling me what you are here for now."

The man spits in his direction as Bond searches his pockets and wallet.

"Well, Mr. Jones…if you are eventually allowed a phone call please tell the man that hired you that scab labour is easy to distinguish in this business."

"I don't know why they want your old lady man but they are not the type to give up."

"Neither am I…they are just trying to test our defences with the likes of you unless there has been a great decline in the quality of recruits to their department."

"Whatever man, I was told to pick her up and hold on to her until someone came to get her, nothing else. I have no idea why they want your mother but 25 large is good for a babysitting job so I took it."

Two men form 6 came and took him away as Olivia stepped forward. "Take him in be questioned immediately."

Both men stood at attention and practically saluted her. "Yes ma'am…nice to see you again ma'am."

Jones's confused by the reaction and shakes his head in realization that he has been mislead into believing it was some rich old woman that he was kidnapping for ransom.

"Where are you taking me…I demand to know, and call a lawyer."

James leaned into his ear and whispered. "You just pissed off the wrong people mate…you may not see the light of day again."

"Olivia there are eyes on us now to see what we will do so I suggest we follow them back to base before going home."

"All right let's get to the bottom of this. Q just texted and something's been discovered in the evidence that we need to see."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

M paced his office in front of Bond and Olivia. "So the first attempt's been made by a less than ready person. They are trying to send a message that the CIA is not involved because this was too sloppy, or that it was to test you James."

Olivia frowns. "If James was not a very observant 00 they may have managed it. Usually the guards tend to stay outside the shop while I look but Bond refuses to leave my side."

"Now you understand why…I've been waiting for this to happen since the ball. Trace where the money came from the trail will have to lead us to one of the three men we're interested in."

"Why not kill me?"

Bond and M looked at her shocked.

"What?"

"If they think I have information that will incriminate them why all the effort to kidnap or seduce me? We are missing something again. They could have shot me at anytime but they want me to tell them something they think I know. They are trying to get us to find out all the information…I will then know it and then they will take me."

"What!"

"Could it be that simple? I'm a soft target a former M…I know a lot of things, things that could be used by a great number of people in the community but what they want to know predates me as M. The M previous to me died and there is no way for them to find the physical evidence themselves and investigate so they are making us do all the work. Q will work his magic and we will have the key to a 30 year mystery that the CIA wants hidden or access to. They grab me…because I would be the softest target. Now there will be about 5 of us that know, Bond, Tanner, Q and you M."

The three of them ponder the implications of what they have accomplished in the investigation so far.

"Tanner and Q will be in London still and they will be unlikely targets because information moves up, but you M will be as much of a target as I after this. They know we've peaked into their files so what should we do next?"

M sits down in his chair and leans back, pondering her question.

"All the information Q has…we should not look at it…or go in blind. They were using some sort of truth drug on you last time…they may do the same."

"No, that won't work either. M you should hold all these answers now not me. You take the debrief from Q and gather all the information and send in advance to one of your friends from the North. You will have a meeting with the director of the CIA and let him know what you have. If they take me I know nothing more than a few names and that they are in Washington for the conference."

Bond frowns. "Olivia you will still be the target."

"Yes, but a target that knows nothing is useless."

"Then they may kill you."

"If they manage to take me that would always be a possibility Bond."

"Bond it's our job to make sure that doesn't happen. I will tell our backup and they will watch the individuals in question. No one will make away with you Olivia this will all end up a fiasco for the CIA either way once this information comes to light."

Bond smiles. "One good thing about this is that for once I'm not to blame…I actually prevented this one."

Olivia laughs. "Yes, because I never would have overheard them on the balcony if you had not angered me so much that I needed air."

Bond smiles and M wonders what he did to anger her that much. This is shaping up to be an interesting trip. There is something going on between these two…something more than casual flirtations.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The flight is uneventful from London to Washington. A car picks them up and within an hour they are checking into their suite. M's bodyguard, Franklin will be in the room beside theirs.

M has been carefully observing the level of comfort and small gestures between Bond and Olivia. He always knew she was sentimental about Bond but he had no idea Bond's feelings were this strong for her. Bond watches her every move and takes all her bags without prompting or snide remarks.

As they gain access to the room the three stand quietly in the common area of the suite while Bond and M scan the room for divides and activate a localized jammer for anyone close by using divides.

M gives the larger room with the cot he is doubting will get used while they are here. Olivia goes in and begins unpacking once they finish scanning her bedroom. Bond checks the walls and floors for any traps.

Q texts the three of them and the name on the money trail of the goon hired to take Olivia in London comes from one of Reza's companies. The trail keeps pointing at the same three men.

James move to the bed room to look for listening devices. Once he exits from examining the bath he jumps on the bed and stares at Olivia while she unpacks her things. Olivia notices him in the mirror.

"Why are you looking so smug James?"

"I managed to negotiate myself into your bed again."

"A, that is not my bed it's the hotels, B you jumped on it without any negotiation and C your cot is right there."

"This is a massive king sized bed you will not even know I'm here."

"I'm sure that is what you say to all the girls Bond and it hardly denotes self-flattery if a woman does not even register your presence. Have I managed to pound your considerable ego down to a manageable average size?"

"Nothing about me is average darling and as for size…you can pound…"

"Stop it…Bond none of that while we have a job to do this is no longer a sleep over at my house but an actual mission so behave and cool yourself down. If you feel the need to satisfy yourself sexually I'm sure there is a bar downstairs and M and I can spend the evening in and have room service."

"You want to send me out to pick up?"

"If you are feeling sexually deprived by the last 3 weeks babysitting me, then yes go clear your head and body with some lonely woman you meet downstairs. You cannot bring her back here so she will have to have her own room."

Bond frowns and sits up on the edge of the bed and grabs her hand as she goes to walk by with her toiletries for the bath.

"Why won't you believe me after three weeks of trying to ease my way into your life that I am deadly serious when I say no other woman will do? I barely touch you but when I do my heart races and so does yours. I detect the changes in your breathing and you always attempt to avoid my eyes…why are you afraid?"

"You now why…you would be an idiot if you don't."

"We have gone over Silva and I am not him. We have discussed Nigel and I am not trying to replace him. I understand that you loved him and when he was alive I loved you from afar and if he was still alive I would have continued carrying the torch for you without doing anything about it. Age does not matter unless you're humiliated by what other people think. Other than that Connor fool you have no other suitors that have called since we've lived together. Is it your children that concern you, because that is the only thing we have not discussed?"

"Bond let me go."

"I will never let you go…I refuse to give up."

"Well, I need to use the facilities so let me go."

"Oh for that I will let you go but I want an answer."

Olivia escapes his grasp and goes to the bath area. She sees the nice bathrobe provided and decides on a shower. The warm water works some knots out of her back when she hears the door open and a very naked James Bond enters the shower with her.

"What the hell! Bond get out of here at once!"

"No…I want to prove to you what you do to me…the minute the shower started it filled my mind with naked fantasies... the image of you...needs l have. I will not touch you unless you allow me to but I am here and very much affected by you."

Olivia's heart is pounding in her chest as she looks at him in all his glory in the shower with her. She so wants to reach out and trace the scars on his arms and chest.

Bond takes the soap from her hand and begins to lather himself before her. Olivia is frozen in place breathing in small shallow gasps as if he has stolen all the oxygen in the shower.

Olivia is at a loss…what should she do? She knows damn well what she wants to do immediately as she feels a familiar heat permeate her body. This feeling is intensifying as she watches him wash himself for her pleasure.

It is so unbelievably erotic that she hopes M knocks on the bloody door to prevent her from doing what she is about to do.

Bond is throbbing looking at her all wet and soapy…naked before him. He wants to reach out and take her breast in his hand but bites his lip and tongue hard to distract him from what he wants to do with his hands.

Olivia reached out and takes the soap from him and as she does her fingers touch his hand. A jolt travels through both of them with the tiny caressing contact she made with her hand and their eyes lock on each other.

Bond ducks his head down towards hers but she pulls back. Olivia reaches out and takes his engorged member in her small soapy hand to stroke the shaft.

"Shit…Olivia!"

Bond's head tilts back and his eyes close for a moment while the sensation washes over him. He wants a kiss from her…to feel her soft lips yield for his tongue. The other day in her bed it almost happened. Bond gathers himself allowing her to pleasure him with her hand and he locks eyes with her again.

James looks like he is in a state of bliss and then he locks eyes with her and leans down again to kiss her. Olivia is not ready for this to happen…she just wants to elevate his pent-up need so he can focus on the mission. James usually gets laid before the mission gets underway.

Olivia turns her head at the last moment and his kiss lands just under her ear. He licks her ear and whispers to her.

"Damn it Olivia let me kiss your lips…please. I want you so bad…I…Olivia!"

Olivia strokes him faster and he groans loudly.

James' orgasm came on so suddenly and forcefully that it shocks him and as a result her, as she moves away from him. His knees give way and he sinks to the floor of the shower. His body is still shuddering thorough the aftershocks when Olivia leaves the shower.

James is too slow to react and pull her to him in an embrace before Olivia escapes the shower. The euphoria calmed after going so long without sexual release he feels numb but concerned about her sudden departure.

James exits the shower and the bathroom wrapped in a towel to see her wrapped in a robe picking out some casual clothing for the evening. He moved to stand beside her.

"You left before I could reciprocate Olivia."

"I did that so you could get it out of your system James and concentrate on the mission."

"What about your need…to concentrate on the mission?"

"I don't need help concentrating."

"Of course you don't."

"I will go in the bath to change and you can do so out here but I trust that you will never intrude on me again while I'm in the bath unless called to do so."

Olivia's voice cuts him to the core. She is angry with him…she wants to distance herself from him.

"I'm sorry…don't be angry…I just need you so badly. I thought because we were not in your home anymore…the environment has changed."

"James I do not want to talk about this now. I am not angry with you…you just shocked me and I was uncomfortable being naked with you without it being my choice."

James looks at the floor wanting someone to punch him for being a total idiot.

"I am sorry for being a complete idiot and completely undone by you…I cannot stop wanting you just because you don't believe what I feel for you is true."

Olivia takes her clothing and goes into the bath and Bond dresses quickly and exits the room to the lounge to get a stiff drink.

M is there waiting for them. Bond hopes to hell the walls are thick enough that he did not hear that.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Bond I need you to answer a question."

Bond closes his eyes for a moment willing his features to appear neutral.

"Yes."

"Are you and Olivia lovers?"

Bond pauses and looks pained in trying to find an answer that fits, already knowing that it's rhetorical.

"In a sense we are, but not physical."

"It is none of my concern in an official capacity but I do not want to see her be crushed emotionally because you are playing with her."

"I'm not playing, and I think you know that if you surmised we are lovers. Olivia, like you is hesitant to believe my motives but she is truly the most important person in my life."

"Very good. I know you will protect her while here in Washington and keep her out of harms way."

"Of coarse…no one will take her …"

"Q sent me the documents of what he found and Olivia is correct. They wanted us to study this so they can pry it from us…we did the investigation and they want the story but I still don't know why and that is troubling me. I won't give either of you the details leaving me as the only true target. I have decided not to tell the CIA because I do not know their motivation yet. Needless to say it does paint the CIA in a bad light and they would not like it out."

"Who ever is responsible…are they still players in the game?"

"Yes and the three of the men involved are but there could be more. We will have to be careful dealing with them. It seems idiotic to have us dig up something that was deeply buried unless Davis thinks that his presence at this conference will trigger a memory within Olivia that would lead her down this rabbit hole anyway."

Olivia entered the room. "Updates M?"

"I was just telling James that the story still requires investigation which we will do while here without giving it to the CIA until necessary. How about dinner? I brought a bottle of your favourite Olivia so would you like a drink?"

"Yes please."

"Bond I don't trust room service to deliver us food that is not drugged or bugged in some way so could you please get us something to eat?"

"Yes, but she does not leave this room. I will text with the menu as soon as I find a place."

M nodded as Bond grabbed his jacket and left.

M sits across from Olivia with questioning look.

"Out with it Gareth…I can see the wheels turning."

"James told me that the two of you are lovers of a sort…non-physical and I was just concerned."

"Non-physical." Olivia laughs and looks down into her whiskey. "You accused me of being sentimental about him and you were right. I don't know what to do…it seems so bloody improbable that he would feel that way about me."

Bond texts and they choose some food and call him.

"I can honestly see the attraction Olivia you are a beautiful woman and you understand him and that is what he needs. What is the absolute worst that can happen…besides death."

"Besides death…abandonment, I suppose. Really I honestly did not even entertain the idea of another relationship after Nigel. Not even a companionship arrangement with someone, but then Connor called and was persistent. I felt that was a natural arrangement with an old friend, it seemed that way until James came into the picture. I assumed I would die under a mountain of MI6 paperwork if Silva didn't manage to kill me. The job is done and I do appreciate you handing me these social assignment to keep my mind sharp and aid in the gathering of information like an agent."

"Olivia you have made an exceptional agent for one who has not done it before. I have always thought that having the key in plain sight is a more effective way of hiding intentions and you have excelled at these social settings by being disarmingly charming."

Olivia smiles and laughs. "Strange how it works out…I hated the bloody things when I was busy being M and now they entertain me to no end. I can cajole them into anything with a wink, caress of the arm and a dance. At my age that is the most amazing thing."

"I know they walk right into it because they assume your harmless because you're retired. You have assisted a great deal and tomorrow we will do it again. You will be the centre of attention and I will nod, smile and shake some hands. I have the attendees on this tablet if you want to take a look. I think you know a great many of them already…Davis is new as is the director but you may have met him before also."

"Kelly, oh we've met. It did not go well. I got the job done where he failed about 10 years ago it may have delayed this appointment by a decade. Kelly may not like to see me as your plus one."

"Is there anyone else on that list that you outmanoeuvred or humiliated that I need to know about?"

"Just those two…sorry, they are the two achieving these new appointments I wonder if that is a coincidence? You may want to reconsider taking me tomorrow."

"Not on your life…I like unnerving people because their true natures shine through in those moments and I will see their reactions. I assume you have a gown for tomorrow?"

James enters the room with dinner. "She has a lovely gown that we barely had time to buy what with that clod attempting to kidnap her in broad daylight."

"I bought two that day one red and one blue and my suit for the meet and greet is white."

M smiles. "How patriotic."

Bond frowns. "Yes…you got the red one after I told you not too?"

"I told you I liked it."

"What is wrong with the red dress?"

Bond turns to M as they arrange their food and cutlery. "Nothing but it is sure to cause an international incident if I have to punch every man for staring at her breasts. The damn thing is practically cut to her belly button."

M arched an eyebrow and looked at Olivia imagining her in such an outfit.

"Bond you're exaggerating and I plan to where the blue but it is always wise to bring back up."

"I hope we have enough back up ready because if you have to wear the red dress I will need the help keeping them off you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The morning arrives without incident and the three of them get ready, call for M's bodyguard Franklin and leave the room for the meet and greet in the hotel restaurant.

Olivia's dressed in a smart white business suite and Bond's in grey and M dark blue. The three of them sign in and are about to enter when a familiar face called out to James.

Felix Leiter comes over to shake his hand. Bond introduces him to M and M...Olivia.

"Pleasure to meet you both, especially you my dear lady. Bond has told me so much about you over the years."

"I'm sure some of it was horrible…very good to finally meet you too…"

Felix takes Olivia's hand and brings it to his lips.

"Call me Felix ma'am and no not all of what he said was nice and he did leave out what a looker you are. I can't believe you complained so much about taking orders from such a beautiful woman."

Olivia and M laugh as James glares at Felix. "How is it that they let you in a place like this Felix?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing James. I'm here with my section head and why are you here James? I don't think we need anything blown up here in Washington."

"I'm Ms. Mansfield's bodyguard."

"Really…what is really going on…a 00 for a bodyguard seems a little extreme."

"I'll tell you later let's get in there and start mingling."

M moves his way through the crowds with Olivia in tow. Many are still calling her M and neither bother to correct them. Bond sees their targets hovering nearby. Kelly spots them in the crowd and comes to speak to them.

"M it is a pleasure to see you again."

"Director Kelly, I would like to introduce you to the new M at MI6. M this is the new director of the CIA, Mr. Kelly."

Kelly shakes his hand smiling. "Welcome, so glad you could make it and so glad you brought such a lovely companion with you. Or is she here to keep you in line?"

"Moral support really, Olivia has been in the business longer than I and can facilitate these introductions."

"Come now this is just your way of finding out all the dirt on everyone here from M…or is it Olivia?"

"Olivia now that I have retired, Director Kelly."

"At any rate M it does tend to grease the wheels when there is a lovely woman such a Olivia to speak with at one of these boring events. Tonight I would like to help fill your dance card ma'am and reserve the first swing around the dance floor."

Olivia smiles brightly at him. "I would be delighted, as long as your wife doesn't mind."

"Not married anymore M…sorry it will take some getting use to and stop calling you that. My wife and I divorced last year."

"I've been retired for 8 months now, so you will have to excuse my lack of intelligence about your status. M won't even let me sit in the big chair when I come to visit."

The three of them erupt into laughter as James watches Kelly closely. M felt he might have been slighted by Olivia in the past but the man seems genuinely pleased to see her if not a little flirtatious.

The men here are the upper levels of the CIA and most are closer in age to Olivia than Bond or M. Bond dislikes the fact that Olivia has become much more adept at flirting with men now that she's retired. She certainly did not act this way when she was M.

Bond whispers to M. "I am going to find Felix and circle the room."

"Fine. I will just work the room and stay with Olivia."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bond approaches Felix and gets a drink. "Felix what is the word on this event?"

"Other than an excuse to spend tax payer money on a self-congratulatory pat on the back for Kelly and Davis?"

"Are the two of them friends?"

"Not that I am aware but they now occupy the highest two positions in our organization. Hey why did you never tell me that M…the former M…your boss is so damn attractive. I've never known you to not comment on a beautiful woman before."

"I didn't want anyone to know."

"Really…why not?"

"It is difficult to explain."

"Really now I've got to know."

"M…is someone special and what she looks like should not be common knowledge in our circles, for her protection."

"I think there is something more to it than that…what is she your mother?"

James starts to choke on his drink and cough. His eyes huge as he scowls at Felix.

Felix smirks. "Oh… so it's that is it Bond…quite the opposite I think…you've got it bad for your boss…ha…the great 007 smitten with an older woman who once had the authority to send him wherever she wants. How long have you two?"

"Not at all…well, not yet, she doesn't think I really want her. You better not say anything or I will be using my special licence to kill while I'm here."

"Okay…okay…I give. I see the attraction but doesn't the age difference..."

"No not to me…she understands me better than another woman could."

"Good luck mate but you may have to get in line."

The two of them look across the room at the circle of men around the two M's.

"I know. Olivia has become incredibly popular since her retirement and this job the new M has her doing…liaison…she is enjoying the adventure of it more than I would like."

"It doesn't help that she's that attractive and most of her peers in the community are divorced men like Kelly. I don't really like the man but he has good taste…he's been watching her like a hawk since you arrived."

"We are more concerned with three of the other guests. Davis, Howe and an Iranian business man that is here for some unknown reason."

"He is here because he is one of ours…always has been."

"Really? Well, that puts a different slant on things. I prevented someone hired by Reza for taking her last week. Could you help by keeping your eyes on them for me?"

"Sure…what's the problem James? Is this the reason M…has a 00 as a bodyguard?"

"Yes…as a punishment for both of us, for my last mission and Olivia's propensity for slipping her guard when ever it strikes her."

"That is some punishment. The new M thinks that's a punishment…being around a Dame like that 24/7… that's my kind of punishment. Her voice is sexy as hell...did you have that voice in your ear on any missions?"

"Yes I did. What he didn't know then, definitely didn't hurt me. A member of the CIA tried to abduct her. So we have essentially entered the belly of the beast by coming here and I may need a friendly on the inside of your organization now more than ever."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

M looks about the room and notices some of the borrowed members of their back up patrolling the room. The head of CSIS, Mathie walks towards them with a smile.

"M it is a pleasure to meet you and Ms. M what a wonderful surprise to see you again."

Mathie shakes M's hand and brings Olivia's to his lips.

"Wonderful to see you again Mr. Mathie. I trust all is well with you?"

"Oh yes madame everything is aces all the way around. M I take it you're making the most of this grand lady's professional expertise."

"I certainly have. Olivia is a gem that I am very glad to have at my disposal. She is more than helpful at making these events easier."

"I will enjoy seeing you again this evening…if you will excuse me I must pay my respects to the new director."

"We will see you this evening."

"Of that you can be certain m'lady."

M and Olivia take a plate of food from the buffet as they began the luncheon. They sit and listen to a couple of introductions, speeches and welcome to the foreign delegations from Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

M looks to his left to see Davis moving towards them. M grabs Olivia's elbow to turn her towards Davis and she nods in acknowledgement. Davis extends his hand to her once he gets close enough.

"Hello…M, I don't know if you remember me but we met years ago in London. Agent Davis then but now I am the deputy director."

"I wondered if the Davis listed was the same man I met all those years ago…how wonderful for you and this is the new head of MI6…M"

"How do you do M. I thought they would change letters with the change in command. It makes it very confusing having two M's at the same time."

"You may call me Olivia as now I am just a consulting retiree. So will you be working here in Washington closely with Director Kelly?"

"For the most part yes but I may still get to travel and may even get to come back to London in a short while."

"I didn't think you enjoyed London that much Mr. Davis. You seemed upset the last time I saw you…that must have been 30 years ago."

"Water under the bridge my dear…aggravation with inter-departmental miscommunication was common in the days before all this wonderful technology they have for us now."

"Yes it is amazing what one can discover so easily now."

"I must press on and shake some more hands…an absolute pleasure to see you again my dear and I will see you again this evening. Nice meeting you M and thank you for delivering us such a lovely surprising prize."

M leaned in closely to Olivia. "Well, that was interesting."

"I agree. I assumed he was going to come see us eventually…how did I do?"

"Very well you acted surprised enough at first to mislead him I think but with a room full of bureaucrats and spies it is difficult to know what is going on."

James rejoined them. "Have we done enough here? I think we need to go back to the room now."

The three of them leave and Bond nods to Felix as they leave early from the event to get ready for the evening…whatever is going to happen is likely going to happen this evening at the dinner and ball.

Once they get to the room Olivia moves to the bar and pours three drinks while M and James scan the rooms again. Olivia hands them each a drink.

"What did you find out James?"

"Felix says that Reza is a CIA operative and he is the one that paid to have you sloppily abducted. Felix is willing to help be our eyes on them but he does not care for either Kelly or Davis."

M looks concerned. "Whatever is going to happen will be within the next 24 hours but then again they may know about the amount of back up we currently have at our disposal from the other agencies."

Olivia looks at M. "I want to know what Q found…I really do not think that there is anything that bad from a 30-year-old case."

"Are you sure Olivia…if they do manage to get you…"

"What M…what can they do, rewrite history?"

"Olivia…it's too dangerous."

"No, James it's not…I will not be taken…not with all this extra protection."

"The objects in the evidence storage had trace radioactive exposure so they came in contact with the uranium that was being moved between the U.S and Iran. The baseball card had a map showing how the material was moved by the carriers. The pen contained a computer chip with instructions on how to create the bomb from the CIA along with how to avoid MI5 &amp; 6, French and German secret services on their way through Europe to Iran. There are names places and times listed and I am still having Tanner and Q research the people involved. All of this happened at a time after the hostage crisis."

"But Olivia found the pattern and spoiled the underground route."

"Yes, and that is why this is likely revenge motivated and why I will not give it to Kelly until we can be certain he is not involved. The only name that is still alive and here now is Reza."

"We could give a copy to Felix…I know I can trust him and he holds no love for either."

"That is a possibility but it would be better if this never ever meets the light of day but those involved should be apprehended and not living in the suburbs."

"I agree M. I think they are waiting for us to say something to Kelly before they make a move."

M nods. "Evidence is evidence and now that we know this information it is not going to go away and you would always be a risk for attack."

Bond scowls. "So if that is the case what do we do? If the head of the CIA is involved, who do we give this information to or do we go to the press?"

Olivia frowns. "With the way the press has attacked the efforts of the NSA lately I do not think having MI6 distribute sensitive information making the CIA look like idiots would be a good thing."

M nods in agreement. "Quite right. We will have to ask Felix who to contact with this and I will have Q run that name to make sure there are no connexions first."

Bond looks at Olivia. "I think you should stay here in the room tonight. M can say you were feeling unwell."

"James that would but me at greater risk because they know that I am here with just one guard. At the event I will be surrounded by agents from all over the world. The only soft points will be the car ride to and from the event."

"I have arranged that some of out friends from the North will be driving our car and some motorcycle escorts."

"You two stay here and I am going to go see Felix to find out who to trust in all this mess. M, I will speak with your guard on my way out and have him stay outside this door while I'm gone."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bond tracks down Felix and gives him an idea of what is going on.

"This is why you're here protecting her. I think the person to bring this to would be the over sight chairman Perkins. He will be there tonight I will point him out to you."

James thanks him and heads back to the room. M is sitting with his laptop open when he arrives.

"Felix says the over sight chairman is Perkins and that is who we should give this too."

"Fine I will run the name by Q and give him the flash drive tonight."

"Where is Olivia?"

"Taking a nap, why do you plan on joining her?"

Bond smirks at him. "Yes, maybe I will."

James opens the door quietly and toes off his shoes while removing his clothing. He's really tired, could use a nap and getting to share a room with her is a dream come true even if his boss is just outside the door.

James eases into the king sized bed and turns on his side to watch her.

"It is not wise to sneak up on someone when they're sleeping."

Olivia eases her hand out from under the covers with a pistol pointed at him. James eyes widen in surprise.

"Well, well look who's prepared for anything."

James takes the gun from her hand and puts it on the bedside table.

"I just came to join you in your nap."

"You have a cot James…why do you continue to usurp my bed."

"I do not want to usurp the bed but I do want to infiltrate it."

"Do be quiet I would like to go back to sleep…I am not a young woman and need to catch some sleep where I can."

"Can we snuggle?"

"We had better not because then I know we won't get any sleep."

James' eyebrows raise in question. "Does that mean that you're thinking about…us?"

"You make it impossible for me to escape the thought of us James…you never give up and showing up naked in my shower has given me some very interesting dreams."

James takes her hand in his and places it on his chest over his heart. "I think we should wait until we are back in London…as soon as we get back."

"Oh you do…do you? Thanks for the warning…would that be the second we touch down or will you allow me to get in a car and maybe actually in my home before you pounce?"

"The second we enter your flat…I will prove how much you mean to me."

"James your biggest mistake is assuming that you have anything more to prove to me. I just don't want to rush into anything…this mission has taken over our lives and until it's finished we must keep our focus on that."

"I know and we will."

Olivia takes her hand off his wonderfully muscled chest and rolls over to go back to sleep and James does the same.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

James and M stand in the suite in tuxedos awaiting Olivia for the grand finale of this trip. The next few hours could be rough. M hands Bond a flash drive to give to Felix to give to Perkins at the end of the evening along with an outline of what is going on.

So far Kelly is clean in this investigation so M has a duplicate flash drive to give to him as soon as he sees the man this evening.

By the end of the evening it's hoped that those responsible will be arrested. The rest of the guests will leave and go home possibly without knowing what even happened to Deputy director Davis and the two other men.

Olivia exits her room and they stand and silently observe her in her lovely blue gown and simple jewelry. She will attract attention this evening that is certain.

The three of them plus M's guard meet the car in front of the hotel and they make it unharmed to the event.

As they wait to enter director Mathie approaches them to say hello with the director of Australia's ASIS, Mr. Tate. They greet M, Olivia and Bond stand with them as they wait for entrance.

"It is wonderful to meet you again ma'am. It is strange to do so face to face after years of speaking by phone or video conferencing. When was the last time…South Africa in '06?"

"Yes, Mr. Tate that was the last time the three of us were together…but then I am now just a liaison not M."

"From those years of service you are a fount of information for the rest of us and it would be a dull affair without you here to class this event up."

Olivia chuckles. "The trick is to get more women in the big chair gentlemen…the world didn't crumble and Queen and country are safe as can be in this day and age."

They entered the hall and were all approached by waiters with Champaign. They all take a glass and M makes a toast.

"To Queen and Countries."

"Here, here…to Queen and Countries."

James scans the room as the four of them chat more about policies and new devices. He picks out Davis and Howe together but no sign of Reza. Kelly is at the podium getting ready to make a speech before dinner.

M manoeuvred himself to Kelly before the dinner began and handed him the flash drive. The dinner and speeches proceed and within two hours Bond is ready to go but the social mixing and dancing is about to begin. Reza has still not arrived and Kelly disappeared for a while before the dinner concluded.

M, Bond and Olivia assume he has gone to view the information and they wait for a response. Kelly asked Olivia for the first dance and she will speak to him then.

Davis is not acting strangely and Felix and his department head are sitting close to Perkins. Felix nods in Bond's direction indicating that he gave the information to Perkins who is looking at a tablet and frowning.

The dance begins and Kelly works his way through the crowed to reach Olivia. He bows before her and she smiles demurely as he grins and guides her to the dance floor. Bond watches from the edge of the dance floor.

Director Mathie is dancing with someone and stays close enough to observe them both. M moves from speaking to Tate towards the toilets. Davis is still at his table watching the room.

Kelly wraps his arm around Olivia and she feels a scratch on her shoulder.

"I am so sorry my dear…damn cuff links. I must say you are incredibly beautiful this evening M…sorry Olivia Mansfield."

"Thank you but we have a problem to discuss. Did you have a chance to look at the information about Davis?"

"Not really…I'm sorry I've been a tad busy and was too looking forward to getting you in my arms for a dance."

"Davis' involved with an embarrassing escaped about 30 years ago that I stumbled upon and now I am in fear of being taken by one of his paid lackeys. They almost took me from a store in London before coming here."

"Are you sure? I don't mean to sound cruel but in this job one makes a lot of enemies."

"Yes, we are…you need to look at it ASAP. There are men here tonight that have committed a crime."

"You were right to bring this to me first. I will do some mingling and come collect you and M to go over it with me…in about an hour I will come claim you for another spin around the dance floor."

"All right, I will see you then."

"Did I already tell you how beautiful you are tonight Olivia?"

"Ha…ha yes you did and I'm being spoilt by compliments this evening."

"If anyone deserve the attention this evening you do my dear."

Bond continues to watch Olivia as a woman comes to stand beside him. She has long dark hair and a stunning red gown…she typifies sex and danger and would be normal fare for Bond if he was not in love with an older woman.

"Would you like to dance handsome stranger?"

"No…not really."

"Oh but you stare at the dance floor like someone who is longing to be out there."

"I long to be somewhere but not here."

"Maybe I will come ask you again and you will be more inclined to act like the English gentleman you should be."

Bond smirks at her. "in another time that might have worked on me and we would share a dance and later in your room but not tonight. There is something more important I must do that requires me not to be gentlemanly tonight."

"Your loss."

The woman walks away and Bond turns back and watches the woman he loves being handed around from man to man around the dance floor. If he could only cut in but she would kill him for doing it here and now under these circumstances.

Felix approaches and stands beside Bond. "How is everything my English brother…Davis has barely moved from his spot…I think we may be able to put this to rest soon."

"Then why do I have the feeling that something bad is about to happen."

"Self preservation mate…we are still alive because of that instinct."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

M is speaking with some of the department heads of the CIA and everything is still waiting for Kelly to make a move towards Davis. M takes the last swig of his drink and sees Davis head for the toilet. M could use the toilet also so he follows.

Just before entering M takes a text from Q and Tanner. There is only one person that was involved with this operation other than their three suspects that is still alive and that is the newly appointed director Kelly's ex-wife...DAMN!

The last thing M sees is Davis standing in front of him holding a gun in his direction and someone hitting him from behind.

Kelly approaches Olivia and asks her for another dance. They move about the floor and he leans close to her ear. "I have looked at the information…and we need to speak privately. M is waiting for us in an office down the hall."

"I will just notify my people and…"

"That won't be necessary…M is already in the office and your shadow is entertaining a beautiful young lady over there."

Olivia looks over and frowns when she sees a beauty in red beside James.

"One other reason my dear…I want you alone…"

Kelly begins dancing her towards the rear door as her head begins to feel strange. The last thing Olivia sees is the door to the exit open.

"James…where are…"

To be continued…


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Two men approach Bond and Mr. Mathie who looks worried. "Agent we have a problem…follow me."

Bond looks around the room and notices that Olivia and Kelly are no longer on the dance floor. He follows the agents out into the hall to see Franklin unconscious on the floor by the gents.

"Two of mine are on the trail following Davis and Howe…they have your M. Another of mine was found unconscious by the rear exit after following Ms. Mansfield out the rear door with Kelly. Luckily his partner saw the car he carried her to…and is attempting pursuit."

"Shit! They took them separately in different directions?"

"Yes but we have eyes on them."

"I will meet you at the hotel ASAP I am going to see my CIA contact. Here is my number text me if you have any more news."

Bond runs over to Felix. "They got M and Olivia separately. Kelly took Olivia…I going after her."

Bond heads out to see a friendly agent with a helmet to hand Bond as he climbs on the back of the motorcycle. The agent swerves through traffic to get him back to the hotel. The agent follows Bond to the rooms they have across from theirs.

"What have we got so far?"

"My men have set up a perimeter around a building that M is being held in. I have video uplink now."

They look at the screen. The satellite imagery on the screen's being sent to them from Q who likely hasn't slept in days. MI6 agents from Washington are on the way to join the Canadians.

"Ok what about Olivia?"

Tanner comes on the line. "I can't believe you lost both of them Bond…"

"Just find her Tanner…Q activate the tracer she has."

Q answers. "She had it removed when she retired Bond."

"What! Damn it Tanner why did you let her do that?"

"She demanded and you know what she's like…"

"Christ…"

Mathie's speaking into his communications device with his men. "Yes, Ok I will tell him."

"Kelly shook him as he was leaving the city. What do we know of the man…properties?"

Q took over. "He has a home in Virginia but that is all found so far. Did you get the message that I sent M? His ex-wife was one of the agents from the mission Olivia foiled. Wait….wait…she has some rural property in Maryland a farm."

"Q send us the directions we are on our way. Tanner you and MI6 get M…I'm going for Olivia. Mathie I need your motorcycles and some men."

"Dixion and Campbell you're both with Bond and good luck."

Bond and the two agent head out of the hotel as Bond texts Felix with the info.

Felix calls him. "Bond what do you think you're going to do without back up?"

"We have back up…MI6 is going for M…don't get in their way. I am going for Olivia."

"FBI will be all over us because of this…damn it Bond you need me, you can't do this alone!"

"I've had some help from the North all along keep everyone out of our way…that will be the greatest help."

"Perkins is at an emergency meeting with the white house about this international cluster fuck that MI6 just tossed in our laps!"

"I will owe you a pint if you can keep everyone out of my way until I find Olivia…I will try to bring him in alive for you, but if he hurts her in any way… I will only be bringing back his head."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

M woke felling fuzzy and tied to a chair. The room is derelict but for a few wooden chairs and two men that are staring at him with their arms crossed.

"To whom do I owe thanks for this diversion to my schedule?"

"We are asking the questions here M. You would be wise to remember this. Two things, first you have some information that we want and second we need you to erase all evidence that this has occurred. Once you comply you are free to leave."

"What information would that be and how do you think you can force me to give it to you…I have sworn an oath to Queen and country and the official secrets act forbids me from telling you anything that's deemed secret for her majesties government."

Davis approaches him menacingly. "But you were going to hand it to Kelly to get me fired."

"What?"

The older gentleman moves closer. "You heard me…he told me you had something important to show him that concerned an old case of mine that MI6 interfered with in the early 80's…something that could ruin my position…so where is it so my men can go retrieve it?"

M begins to laugh at the idiocy of it all. "He played you…and us. I still don't know why but you are clearly the expendable ones in this scenario."

Reza moves forward and frowns. "What? Who?"

Howe walks into the room from his lookout position. "No sign of anyone."

"I already gave it to Kelly…he came up clean. Olivia said she had shown Kelly up 10 years ago on a mission that may have delayed his appointment to director. But you already know how capable she is…she found you two out and that was far earlier in her career. Let me go now it is your only chance to get out of this alive."

Reza sneered. "You only brought one guard each and your local men were not even in play the entire while…It will take them time to mobilize. Your guard was unconscious and her's was distracted by a woman."

"Kelly took her, didn't he. He took her for revenge."

Davis looked at Reza. "He played us…he didn't want him…he only wanted her…there was no investigation into the case…he made them start looking damn it! Got us to do the dirty work and now he has what he wanted."

M frowned. "Kelly wanted Olivia? Why to cover up his wife's involvement?"

"Kelly planned this for 10 years…his wife…his wife died in the original mission."

"She died? So Olivia is revenge…damn it let me go now or you will regret this more if I cannot help save her."

Reza sneered. "How does that help me…if this goes public my family in Iran will be imprisoned and killed! I will not go down without a fight after all this time and what I've done for the CIA!"

At that very moment MI6 and CSIS entered the building and surrounded the men. Reza and Howe fire at the agents and one shoots them both as Davis raises his hands in surrender.

"Report! Any news of Bond and Olivia Mansfield?"

One of the CSIS agents releases M from his Bonds.

"Agent Graves reporting for director Mathie sir, Bond and two of our agents have gone after her in Maryland. Mathie says to take you directly to the embassy as the CIA and FBI are getting close."

"Agreed…we don't want to cause more of an international incident than we already have."

An MI6 agent approached. "What do we do the prisoner sir?"

"Good question, leave the bodies here for them to find. Davis who do you want to deal with first, the FBI or your own agency?"

"You had better take me with you if you want the full story against that prick Kelly."

"Agreed…take us to the embassy. Notify Mathie and Bond of our travel plans and someone get Tanner and Q on the line for me ASAP."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Olivia felt groggy as she smelt fresh-cut flowers and clean linens against her skin. It was still dark out…how long has she been out and where in hell is Bond…talking up that slut back at the ball…she will kill him.

Olivia attempts to move once she realizes she is alone in a bedroom somewhere. Her wrists bound by a man's silk tie and looped through the headboard of a brass bed. She hears someone speaking downstairs and then the telltale sound of someone climbing the stairs.

The door opens to illumination from the hall to reveal Kelly smiling at her with a bottle of water in his hand. Kelly closes the door and turns on the lamp near the bed while moving across the room and putting his gun on the dresser and taking the chair from the corner and pulling it up to the side of the bed.

"Would you like a drink? The drug tends to give one dry mouth."

Olivia's eyes are wide and penetrating as she responds. "What do you hope to gain by taking me?"

"That is a very good question M…very good. Here take some water. I know you want some and I wish to make you comfortable for the time being."

Kelly tilts her head and brings the bottle to her lips, tilting the liquid into her dry mouth.

"Where to begin…ahhh. My ex-wife is only my ex because she died in that mission years ago…I've been a widower for 30 years because of those three idiots and you."

"There was no woman involved?"

"Oh my dear but there was…that idiot brother of hers... she made me hire him…kept him safe for what? My dear wife was Iranian well, half. Her father was a wealthy man who took a western wife for his second marriage. Reza is her older half-brother. We were going to be an unstoppable team but then some smart little British analyst figured out the pattern. I sent Davis in to try to get everything back from MI6 and I buried her involvement deep."

"So you blame me for her death even though MI6 had nothing to do with it?"

"YOU…exposed the trail and the Iranians killed her while she was visiting her father and that old bastard let them."

"Still that was what the CIA or your own private mission led you too…I was just doing my job to keep Britain safe and that bloody well includes having uranium transported through bloody Heathrow!"

"So full of passion for the cause still…you are still as beautiful as I remember. I have watched your career since she died. Davis gave me photos that he took of you then and I have longed for you to be here with me…to replace what you inadvertently took from me."

Olivia's eyes widened in shock. "You're insane…how can I replace a wife when there is no way in hell that I will stay here once you release me from this."

"Come now Olivia…if you don't fight me it will hurt less."

Kelly's hand traced her face with his hand as he leaned over and kissed her passionately. Olivia practically gags on his tongue as she pulls on her bonds and bites the offending muscle as it invades her mouth.

Kelly withdraws and laughs at her as he climbs into the bed and covers her with his body. Olivia struggles to draw breath as his weight presses down on her.

"Now be cooperative darling…or it will be difficult for you to breathe."

Kelly climbs off her and begins to remove his clothing as Olivia begins to panic.

"You wouldn't dare! I will not play into this fantasy of replacing a woman who has been dead for 30 years."

"I think you will or I will have Davis kill M…and your guard. I have them in the city…you were foolish for only bringing one guard each…MI6 is still in their office outside D.C. and you will not be found…I had a Jane Doe placed in a crash and burnt beyond recognition. Of course your DNA will make MI6 think you dead. You will stay here hidden away until you become conditioned enough to join me in public as my wife. I have a surgeon lined up to change your appearance and one to condition your mind for cooperation."

Olivia cringes at the information…no…he can't be gone…MI6 will not believe it…she will not give in…never!

"I don't believe you…James will find me."

"James…is he you boy toy Olivia…is that why Connor could not sweet talk his way into your bed? Although, I am kind of glad you didn't take him to bed…I would have had to kill him for it."

"You are mad if you think this convoluted plan will work…my people are not so easily fooled."

Kelly is down to his boxers as he looks down on her with a mixture of malice and desire. "You owe me for 30 years without a woman to grow old with."

"We are old! I doubt you went that long without the company of women over the years."

"No I enjoyed the regular faire but she…she…like you was brilliant…a spy, sexy and full of intrigue. We only had one year together and we should have had a lifetime like you had with your husband. You have lived a blessed life climbing the ladder with your talents...unless you slept your way there?"

"I will not dignify that with an answer."

"You owe me!"

"WHY!"

"I would have made director 10 years ago in my fifties now I only have a few years left in this job before they kick me to the curb…enough…it is time to start taking what you owe me!"

"NO!"

Olivia kicks at him as he climbs on the bed. Panic reminiscent of Skyfall invades her senses as her heart pounds against her ribs.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bond and the two men with him weave up the mountain roads twisting and losing signal from Q tying to find the right way…Bond grips the bike throttle and grimaces. If he is too late he will kill every CIA agent he comes across until they manage to take him down in a hail of bullets. He will not live without her.

The darkness and mist of the early hours of the morning makes it difficult to see on these narrow twisting roads. They stop up the road from the farm that Q eventually guides them too. Q sees heat signatures of two guards and two inside the house.

Campbell and Dixion go after the guards as Bond makes his way towards the house. They will immobilize the guards and get a car to take them all back. M is free and on his way to the embassy.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kelly is pushing her gown up her legs as she continues to kick and struggle against him screaming. "NO!"

Kelly silences her with his mouth as his hands paw at her breasts. Olivia turns away from mouth in a panic to breath and continue fighting without the use of her hands tied above her head.

"STOP…NO!"

Bond enters the house and hears Olivia's scream from upstairs. Bond flies up the steps and throws open the door taking in the nearly naked old man straddling the love of his life.

Kelly turns at the sound and looks for his gun…

Bond pull the trigger and Kelly falls dead at the end of the bed as Olivia kicks his body off her.

James cuts the tie holding her to the bed and pulls her up into his arms as she cries.

"James…thank god…I…he was going to."

"Shuush…it is ok…I'm here." James lifts her into his arms and carries her downstairs and outside into the SUV that Campbell and Dixion expropriated. James cradles her in his arms the entire way back.

Campbell contacts Mathie and the FBI is on the way to intercept them. Bond calls Q and has him duplicate the GPS signal code from the CIA vehicle they are in and echo it in a different direction. M calls in and tells them to divert to the Canadian embassy as they are watching the British. Mathie is waiting for them there.

Olivia rests comfortably in James' arms with her head tucked under his chin as she speaks to M and Tanner giving the details of her abduction and the reason for the entire disaster. M will make the report to the CIA in the morning which is encroaching on them now as they watch the dawn break as they return to the city and head for the embassy.

James looks down at her. "What a night…I owe Felix big for causing this much mayhem."

"We all do and we will work it out later…right now I want a bed."

Mathie meets them at the entrance and ushers them inside. "I've taken a few angry phone calls this evening but I am sure we can all deal with this tomorrow. Come this way and I will take you to your rooms."

"Thank you again for your help and for the trouble we will all have to sort through later today."

"It was my pleasure to help ma'am but please get some rest and we will begin the chaos later."

Their rooms are side by side, Olivia turns to James and smiles. "James would you please sleep with me…I will feel safer."

James follows her into the room and closes the door. "So I had to prevent another psychotic ex-agent from taking you again to negotiate myself into your bed."

"James…please no teasing about that…Silva never…"

"Silva was obsessed with you too M and you know it."

Olivia sighs and moves to the bath…James follows her. "Do you need help in the shower?"

Olivia smiles at him and winks at him. "I don't think I'm ready for that again so soon after the last time James…after this evening I may die of the shock of it all."

"I know…I'm sorry I was not there sooner."

"No, James you arrived just in time, as usual…you always manage to save me."

"I always will my love."

After they take turns in the shower they snuggle into bed exhausted and fall asleep instantly.

Later that day M and the members of the entire operation plus Felix meet at CIA headquarters. A detailed explanation is give from all involved then they leave for the airport. The CIA is going to bury this and start again not happy with the three dead agents but the story will remain hidden from the press.

They climb onboard the private jet and settled in. M soon falls asleep having gotten none dealing with HQ, the CIA and the FBI all night.

Bond puts his arm around Olivia and whispers in her ear. "So…when we return home…where do we stand?"

Olivia's eyes twinkle as she smirks at him. "I thought you promised me that we would not be standing…long?"

James growls and kisses her hand drawing one of her fingers into his mouth and sucks on the digit. "Just wait until I get you home madame…I am going to sweep you off your feet."

"You already have James."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

International travel is a pain at the best of times but when you're desperate to take your lover to bed for the first time it's agonizing.

Bond drags the bags from the car in a desperate hurry to get into the house. He follows Olivia in the house and turns and locks the door. He turns back to her with a look of barley contained passion.

Olivia's heart skips a beat as her eyes meet his intense gaze.

"Upstairs now!"

Olivia swallows nervously. This has built for a month and the damn is about to burst open.

"I am going to take a shower after that trip. Can you fix us some drinks?"

"Hurry…please, I've reached the end of the rope you have me dangling from Olivia and you promised to do something about it the second we arrived home."

Olivia walks to him and cups his cheek and she kisses him softly. Then pulls away.

"Unless you are going to allow me to take you right here on your floor, against the wall, door or on the stairs you had better hurry upstairs you minx."

Olivia darts up the stairs and gets in the shower for a few minutes. She wraps a robe around her and enters her room to see a waiting Bond completely naked.

Bond picks her up suddenly and tosses her in the middle of the bed. He climbs up after her and tugs opens her robe savagely.

Olivia looks at him with a shocked expression as he says.

"You are so fucking gorgeous…now I want to give you the pleasure you gave me in that hotel in Washington."

James spreads her legs and pushed his face between her legs, licking and kissing her suddenly.

All Olivia had time to do is gasp as his ministrations took hold of the pent-up need within her. It seemed like only moments had passed and her orgasm rippled over her body as she arched up off the bed.

"James! My god…"

James climbed up her body trailing kisses on her thighs and stomach. His eyes grew wide as he slid the top of the robe open to expose her breasts.

James kisses and licked her nipples until she moaned and then he switched breasts teasing the other with his fingers. Olivia's eyes closed and she was biting her lower lip in an enticing way as James crawled the rest of the way to her lips.

Olivia opens her eyes to see him staring down at her in such a passionate way it almost makes her cry. She then realizes the position they were in with him covering her body and him between her legs. This is really going to happen…she is going to have sex with James Bond.

It seems so wrong, the two of them together. The culmination of years of longing and self deprivation. Olivia resisted this attraction…this love… yet it was inevitably hopeless. Olivia is falling into the same trap as all those other women have before, and she is completely powerless to stop it.

James lips finally reach hers and he probes her mouth gently to show her how much this means to him…he does not want a fast desperate shag…he want to make love to her as he has in his mind for years. They have all the time in the world…all night.

James pulls his lips from hers and looks at her in encroaching gloom of the early evening.

"I love you and I want to make love to you. Can I…Olivia, may I make love to you?"

Olivia reaches a hand up and traces a finger along his cheek to his throat and back up to his jaw line as if etching his face into her memory for safe keeping. A single tear escapes her eye from the emotions that James has pulled from the recesses of her heart to the surface of her being.

"Yes, dear boy…yes."

Bond's mouth is on hers again as he savours her taste…this is where all the fantasies fail in comparison. The touch and taste of your lover…the sighs and mewing noises she makes…he is so hard for her but he wants to make this last.

Olivia begins to nip at his lips, ear lobes and neck bucking under him in her own building arousal. The urgency is coming off her in waves and moans as James positions himself and locks eyes with her as he slowly presses into her. Her eyes go wide and she inhales suddenly. James pauses.

"Are you…"

"Fine… just slowly darling."

Bond stops moving and kisses her again as she wraps her legs around him and squeezes pulling him deeper towards her.

"Christ woman…you feel unbelievably good…my god…M…Olivia…you're so amazing…I never want this to end."

Bond rolls his hips gently allowing him the luxury of this feeling of being wrapped in her warmth. Olivia gives as good as she gets…kissing and nipping at him and clawing at his back. She is nearing another release from his gentle thrusts and is soon crying out his name and panting beneath him.

James props up on his elbows and stops moving just to watch her. She is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen and his heart palpitates oddly and skips a few beats. She feels like home…love and desire all in one sexy package. Olivia is more responsive than he could have ever hoped.

Olivia comes down from the brink to feel his hard body still within her. Bond is a very patient lover…she never imagined it would be like this with him…even with Nigel it had taken a long time to get to the making love stage of their relationship. She assumed it would be fast and furious passion in the beginning.

"How are you feeling Olivia?"

"Amazing…James what about you?"

"Amazing."

"But you haven't?"

"Not yet but I just wanted to watch you first to see what you like and how you sound when you're excited. You are a very responsive and sexy woman do you know that? The things I want to do with you…over and over again. You make my heart want to explode."

Bond begins tracing her nipple with his fingers and slowly begins to move again. Bond kisses her and draws her knees back up around him as he increases his pace. Olivia begins to feel the slow build to another release.

Olivia pulls him towards her in a tight embrace and Bond continues kissing her neck, face and lips enjoying everything he has ever dreamt of from sitting in a chair staring at her across the desk in her office.

"More love…more…harder…oh god…oh god…James…yes…yes!"

Bond's thrilled to hear and obey every order out of her lovely mouth as he moves faster and harder. His hand moves down to use his thumb to bring her over the edge of the cliff with him.

"Oh god…M….M…argh…"

"James!"

James collapses on top of her burying his face in her neck. Panting and exhausted…James cannot believe its finally happened.

James trails kisses along her neck to her collarbone. "I can honestly say that you are the love of my life Olivia…my M…the one and only M."

"I love you too, dear boy."

James smiled the largest smile. "I knew you loved me…it would just take time to work it out of that stubborn mouth of yours. I now know how to get you to say it…sex…incredible mind blowing sex…and I will never tire of hearing you scream my name like that."

Olivia laughs and nods in agreement. "My you are full of egotistical sexual prowess…I had to make you earn it James…I have loved you longer than I should have but there was no way in hell you were going to make me admit that until I was sure you were serious."

James gently eases out of her and rolls to her side draping his arm across her belly as his hand caresses her breasts.

"It took you this long to realize I was not faking just to get you into bed?"

"No…I knew the day you rubbed my feet and did not try to seduce me further."

"And you waited weeks when you wanted me, badly?"

"What did you expect of me that I would just cave instantly like every other tart you've seduced? I wanted to motivate you up a level…I wanted your A game 007."

"You are completely worth it Olivia…I think we need to come to some agreement on living arrangements…I've been living here a month and I was wondering if we could make this a permanent arrangement."

"I think that would be a great idea…my love. I think my retirement will be far less boring with you around."

"Damn it M…I love your breasts…I have always admired your cleavage…and they do not disappoint."

"They have helped me deal with politicians for years."

"I bet…hypnotically getting what you want from them while they try to peak down your blouse."

Olivia begins to arch beneath his touch as James continues to stare and play with her breasts. She caresses and admires his muscular chest as she traces all the scars, trailing her nails on him as he growls deeply, his eyes becoming dark and passionate.

"Well, as long as they entertain you…Bond, James…Bond...you are also…really...quite…entirely distracting…yourself…my love."

James begins tickling her and kissing her again.

"It will be my pleasure to entertain you until the end of days my love."

"You had better…I didn't groom you all these years for nothing 007."

The End


End file.
