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[0_0_7]

There was a sharp crack of gunfire that made the comm squeal in Q branch. The Double-0 in the field grunted, then began to pant, and continued making familiar sounds of effort as he ran full bore.

"Report," M barked in his ear.

"He ran," Bond replied, as if that should be obvious.

"Can you catch him?"

There was no answer. For a few tense moments there was only measured breathing, Bond's rhythm driving him on. On Q's screen, the small dot that indicated the agent moved north, then northwest, then vanished entirely in the middle of an intersection.

"I'm in the sewer," he said simply.

The announcement gave Q time to find him.

A moment later, there was an explosion and the comm cut out entirely.

M looked at Tanner and Q, Moneypenny...only looked at Q.

"Get me satellite," Tanner barked at Q's underling and a moment later there was an image of a smoking crater where Bond's signal had been. The smartblood monitor blinked OFFLINE. That didn't mean dead, but it certainly wasn't good.

"Bond?" M said. "Report."

Silence.

"Double-0-Seven, report," M repeated.

Silence.

"Keep the comm open," M finally said, then stalked out of the room.

Comments

[qu4r73rm4573r]

Glitch and Beta were cowering near the door by their carry crate, the one Q used to take them to the vet. Slightly deeper into the house Q was on the ground, his glasses damaged and a small wound on the side of his head where some debris had struck him.

He could see James through the smoke and the haze though, and he made his way over, keeping low as he put the cats in their crate and picked them up.

"I- I'm not sure what happened," he realized, starting to cough. He barely had his wits about him, wasn't even staggering towards the door anymore.

[0_0_7]

Bond rushed forward and grabbed the crate in one hand and slung an arm around Q to guide him out to the street.

Sirens were already on the way.

Safe by his car, he set the crate in the back seat and then turned his attention to Q.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, looking him over.

Nothing like an explosion to make his heart beat.

[qu4r73rm4573r]

"Bruised, but fine," Q said, unaware he was bleeding a little. "...You don't have to stay, I can wait for the police myself. I know you don't want to be near me right now, this doesn't change that."

[0_0_7]

"Shut up," he snapped, more concerned with looking at where Q was bleeding and pulling out his silk pocket square to staunch the blood.

"I hope your insurance was paid up," he said.

[qu4r73rm4573r]

...And Q did. Which was a bit of a surprise, since so often the boffin seemed keen to get one last word or quip in. But Bond spoke a bit more sharply, a bit more demanding, and Q just acquiesced.

He tilted his head, letting James clean him up. "I'm not sure it covers explosions," he replied, though he supposed it likely did. He'd gotten it all through 6. One of the perks of being an asset and not just an employee.

[0_0_7]

The ringing subsided about the time the fire engines rolled up and there was a flurry of activity.

For his part, Bond tried to stay out of the way. He did his level best to never get involved with first responders.

Except to give them work to do.

Police came round to speak to Q and Bond quietly slipped away.

At least the cats were at peace in the back of Bond's car. He knew, because he looked in on them while Q was occupied.

[qu4r73rm4573r]

There were a lot of questions, at least until one of the officer's looked Q up, no doubt setting off a dozen red alerts back at 6. Suddenly they would just be in touch, and wanted to know he had a place to stay tonight.

Mallory was on the phone before they'd even walked away.

"James is there?" Mallory asked, and Q realized he must be looking at the tracking on their smart blood. Tanner would have checked the moment the alert came through.

"You know how he likes to make unexpect house calls," Q replied calmly.

"Patch him in," Mallory said.

Q sighed, doing just that as he climbed into James' car.

"Bond?" Mallory said. "Report."

[0_0_7]

"Q's house blew up, sir," Bond said mildly.

"I understand that, Bond," M snapped.

"I'm taking him to the safehouse, sir. I'll see to it he's secure," Bond assured M, putting the car in drive and leaving the ruins behind them.

Q had nothing but his cats. His cats and the clothes on his back. No phone. No computer. Nothing.

What a terribly vulnerable position to be in, he thought.

The corner of his mouth closer to the window where Q couldn't see twitched up with satisfaction.

[qu4r73rm4573r]

"No other reports of attacks," Q said as they drove. "Just me then."

He couldn't help but assume the worst, that things with his ex had escalated.

He slid down in his seat a bit, watching the city roll by.

"I'm sorry I upset you before. ...this isn't how I thought our night would go. ...I really did want to spend time with you."

[0_0_7]

"I think a little row is the least of our worries, Q," he said, looking over at him, sunken and defeated.

"Perhaps it was just the gas..." he said. "Accidents do happen, even to people at 6..."

[qu4r73rm4573r]

"I suppose," Q agreed quietly, though he seemed unsure. "I don't remember smelling gas, do you?"

[0_0_7]

Of course not.

Because C4 didn't tend to smell.

"I don't think so," he admitted, then sighed.

[qu4r73rm4573r]

Q fell silent, but after a moment reached over and rested his hand on James' knee.

[0_0_7]

Bond looked at Q's hand, then the man, then back to the road.

"Do you have any idea who...?" he began, then trailed off.

[qu4r73rm4573r]

"I don't know, but it's hard not to suspect my ex. He's never been violent before, but..."

But people changed, things could always escalate.

"Can we not talk about this tonight? I don't want to think about it. I don't want to think at all."

[0_0_7]

"Alright, Q," he said quietly.

Rather pleased with himself, he put on some low music and drove a rather twisting route to the safe house.

Inside it was a bit stuffy, closed as it had been. The kitchen was stocked with non perishables, some condiments and drinks in the fridge. There were cat supplies, newly purchased. Q had been meant to come here, after all, and no one had taken it away. The bed had been made fresh a few days ago, and a housekeeper clearly came in from tie to time to dust and hoover.

Bond sat down the cat carrier once the door was shut.

[qu4r73rm4573r]

"Will you stay with me while I'm here?" Q asked quietly, crouching low and letting the cats out. "I don't want to be here on my own," he admitted.

[0_0_7]

"Of course, Q," he said, wandering around to make sure it was ready.

There were two bedrooms. Staying was plausible.

"It's going to be alright," he attempted to assure him.

[qu4r73rm4573r]

"I know," Q said quietly, wandering into the kitchen and setting some food and water out for the cats. He'd have to groom them tomorrow, Glitch looked a bit sooty.

It was rare that Q looked so fragile or timid, but as he stood in the middle of the kitchen, he looked terribly small.

"I don't imagine much survived. ...Would it be out of line, do you think, to ask Eve to pick me up a few things to wear? I can't turn up to work like this, I reek of fire... I can get a new laptop, a new tablet, no trouble- But everything else is... At least all my papers were in the fire safe."

[0_0_7]

"Q, I'll take care of everything," Bond said, moving close and laying a steady hand on him.

"Go take a shower. I'll make tea, and arrangements. There are some generic clothes in the drawers you can wear tonight," he said. "And tomorrow, we'll go see what can be salvaged. It may not be as bad as you fear."

[qu4r73rm4573r]

Q nodded slightly, then slowly put his arms around Bond and embraced him tightly.

"Thank you, James," he said softly.

He was reluctant to let go, but eventually he did, taking a pair of simple blue pyjamas before heading into the shower.

[0_0_7]

While the tea was steeping, Bond called Moneypenny to make arrangements. She was already prepared and only needed to know which safehouse they were in.

He paused at the door of the loo to listen to the water run, then grabbed a towel and popped it in the dryer in the kitchen. When it was warm, he knocked on the door and opened it.

"Your towel is warm and your tea is ready," he said. "And Moneypenny is on the way."

[qu4r73rm4573r]

Q was a bit overwhelmed by the kind treatment, emerging a short while later clean and dressed in the pyjamas he'd found.

"You really don't mind staying?" He asked again. "I know it's stupid to be nervous, but..."

[0_0_7]

Bond smiled softly, chuckling as he shook his head.

"I don't mind," he assured him.

Crossing to him, Bond took hold of him.

"Q, I'm sorry. I'm not cross with you, I simply didn't want to have that conversation. I won't do it again. And there's no where else I'd rather be than here with you."

Right where he'd meant for Q to wind up.

[qu4r73rm4573r]

Q nodded slightly, then sighed.

"I really am sorry. I wasn't trying to start a fight... It just turns out I'm exceptionally good at it," he joked lightly.