Where Angels Fear To Tread

Chapter 3

"Good afternoon, Miss Moneypenny. Looking ravishing as always."

Eve glanced up from her laptop with a coy smile and a shake of her head. "Welcome back, 007," she replied, turning her eyes back to the screen and resuming her typing. "Any particular type of flower to your preference?"

James didn't have to ask to what she was referring. Moneypenny was privy to all manner of inner workings in the higher echelons of MI6. She was a good body to have in your corner. "Not especially," he replied with that irritating unruffledness he wore like a second skin, raising a thigh to prop himself against the corner of her desk. "Though I am quite fond of Heather. Sheds a heady aroma first thing in the morning."

Moneypenny, much like Q, could give as good as she got, leaning forward on her elbows, a teasingly demure look on her face as she slanted her gaze to meet Bond's. "Lucky girl..." she whispered, eyes twinkling. At that moment, M's door opened to reveal Bill Tanner. Bond looked up and passed the Chief of Staff to meet the eyes of the Quartermaster, standing a few steps behind him. "M will see you now, 007," said Tanner.

Bond didn't immediately respond. His eyes fixed on Q, keeping a cool stare trained on the man. He rose from the corner of the desk and they met one another halfway across Moneypenny's domain. Tanner and Moneypenny could only watch in abject fascination at their slow, subtle dance; Tanner in wonder how they could maintain such a professional relationship without the personal getting in the way, Moneypenny wondering if Q was carrying some residual electricity in his body from his latest Q branch project.

"Welcome back, 007."

"Q. Always a pleasure to see you." Bond gave him a cursory once over. "Still on the run from the fashion police I see?"

Q brushed past but turned back towards him as he reached Moneypenny's desk. "As a matter of fact, they stopped by last night," he replied, drumming his fingers on the edge of the desk. "Dropped off the belt you lost in Mexico. How you managed to make it back to London with your pants round your ankles is a marvel..."

Before Bond could shape a comeback to counter the restrained look of humour on Moneypenny's face, he heard an impatient huff from Tanner, swiftly followed by a firm bellow coming from the other side of M's door.

"I haven't got all day you know, 007!" Looks like a proper spanking IS long overdue, Q, Bond thought to himself. Just as he was turning towards the door to receive his own version of chastisement from his superior, he caught Q's quick comment aimed at Eve. "Still on for tonight?" She gave a quick nod and a smile to him as he walked off.

"BOND!"

One spanking at a time, he thought to himself, closing the door behind him.

"I like the new digs, Quartermaster? Decorate yourself?" Bond strolled into Q branch, Tanner hot on his heels.

"It's a work in progress. Like many things shaping up in the intelligence service these days," casting a knowing expression Bond's way. Bond just smiled. I don't remember him being quite this bloody gorgeous, he thought to himself, in all ways.

"I'm certain you're up to meeting the tasks and challenges of your position head on, Q."

"It helps to be able to think on your feet," he replied, gesturing for Bond to follow him, while Tanner hovered by his desk, admiring the latest weapon Q was working on.

"It does, doesn't it?" And you're pretty good at thinking on your back as well, Bond thought to himself, a hungry gaze trained on his rear as he led them to a side room.

"Sit."

"As you wish." Bond sat.

"Arm out. Palm up," the instruction crisp and clear. "Brace yourself, 007, you may feel a slight..."