cuppa_q | James

Harry was back at his headquarters, and Q was back in Q branch, while James was most likely in Mallory's office. It was still strange being back in London, strange being back at work so soon after being taken, and the sympathetic looks from Tanner and the rest of the boffin's hadn't escaped Q's notice. In fact they'd only encouraged him to go hide himself away in his office, rather than the lab. He had plenty of paperwork to keep him busy after all, the gadgets could wait a day longer.

The stack of papers sat beside him untouched, however, and he instead found himself flicking through the security feeds, searching for James.

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0_0_7

There was Bond on camera 4. Then 3. Then 2 at the door. And then inside, crossing to lab as he headed straight for Q's office. Of course he assumed he was in there, not seeing him standing at his desk.

The camera was trained on Bond as he knocked on the door, then opened it, seeing Q watching the feeds.

"Busy little bee?" he asked.

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cuppa_q

"You'd think, but no," Q admitted, closing the feed and spinning in his chair to face Bond.

"Thought you might be getting briefed for something, but seeing as how you're here... Have you been effectively benched as well?"

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0_0_7

"Eight to twelve weeks, determined by medical," he nodded. "M says I should treat it like a holiday."

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cuppa_q

"Will you?" Q asked, spinning in his chair a little more.

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"Doubtful," he answered honestly. "There's still the matter of who took you and why. And I think Mallory knows I'm not about to sit on my hands about that."

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cuppa_q

"What do you suggest we do then?" Q asked, stilling his chair and looking up at the other man.

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"We need to start doing some research," Bond said. "I can do it. I just need a computer and some time. I wont be in your way, I promise."

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"Use my laptop. I want to be certain this is all secure," Q prompted, nodding at the laptop in the corner.

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Bond sat down and made himself comfortable. He was in no way as skilled as Q, but he knew his way around a computer. Before long he'd pulled up several useful things and clicked between them, comparing time stamps on video and information cross referenced in files.

"Come here," he said. "What do you think of this?" he asked, focused on a henchman of SPECTRE's who seemed to keep coming up.

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cuppa_q

"He looks familiar," Q admitted, isolating the image and running a search. "...I think he was in that car when I was taken, but he wasn't in the building when they... Well, anyway, he didn't stay for the show."

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"I think he's a good place to begin," he said. "Let's track him down."

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Q nodded, moving back to his computer and getting to work. After several searches and facial scans, however, he was still coming up with nothing.

"He's not in the system," he said finally. "I don't know how, but he's just- Not," he said quietly, nearly jumping out of his skin when there was a knock on the door and one of his underlings quietly stepped in and left a package on his desk.

It was telling how on edge Q still was. Despite his best efforts, he wasn't really ready to be back.

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Bond scanned the screen, which showed absolutely nothing. But then Q jumped and his attention moved elsewhere.

"Calm down," he said gently. He took up the package to open it. "Let's just see what this is, hmm?'

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cuppa_q

"It's nothing," Q said quickly, snatching the small package away from James. "...It's not for work, it's personal. I requested it."

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Bond arched a brow, but gave it back.

"What is it, then?" he asked.

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cuppa_q

"Medication. ...Not exactly on the books," Q admitted quietly.

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0_0_7

"Ah," he nodded. "Understandable...considering."

He reached out and touched Q's arm gently, though it wasn't anything intimate. Nothing that would spark gossip.

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cuppa_q

Q didn't mean to, but he drew away. After everything that had happened, he wasn't quite ready to be publicly tied to Bond. It seemed too dangerous now- For both of them.

"It's fine, double-o seven. It's just something to calm the nerves."

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Bond took the hint and took a step back, then pivoted so he could examine a toy on Q's desk.

"I was thinking tea wasn't quite doing the job for you," he said.

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Q bristled slightly, but he knew Bond wasn't being unkind. Not really.

"I'll be fine in a few days, I'm sure."

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Bond had his doubts about that. No one ever really got over things like what had happened to Q. You moved on. Compartmentalized. But never quite got over it.

Bond still dreamt of Le Chiffre.

"What's this then?" Bond asked, changing the subject. "A new gun?"

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cuppa_q

"Mmm, though not the sort you prefer. It shoots tranquillizing darts with the precision of a sniper rifle," Q explained, glad to talk about anything else.

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"That could be terribly useful," Bond said, but he put it down, already a bit bored by something so placid. Then he thought that perhaps if you landed enough darts it could probably be lethal.

"And this?" he asked, picking up a small black rectangle that was about the size of a mobile, but clearly wasn't one.

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cuppa_q

"A prototype for a new explosive. Not currently loaded or functioning. I'm hoping to incorporate it into one of the upcoming car builds. I'd like to employ drone deployment, I think."