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James knocked on the door to Q’s office. No response. He knocked again, then let himself in. The Quartermaster was nowhere to be seen. He was holding two containers of chicken salad in his free hand, the two of them having agreed on having lunch together. It was odd, Q not being there; he was not the type to run late or to even leave his workspace most of the time.
He set the food down, reaching for his phone to call him.
"James!”
”Hey, love. Where are you? Weren’t we supposed to have lunch together?”
”Yes, yes we did. So sorry. I’m in the elevator down to Q branch, I had a meeting with M. There’s something wrong with the elevator, it got stuck on the way.”
James swallowed.
”Have you called for maintenance?”
”Of course, they said they are about twenty minutes away. I’ll have to hang up, now, in case they call me back. I’ll be there as soon as possible. Love you!”
Q hung up. James stood there, frozen in place.
About fifteen minutes later, Q’s phone rang again. Not the maintenance team, Eve.
”Hey? Is something wrong?”
”I’d say so, Bond is freaking out.”
”What do you mean?”
”He spent about ten minutes pacing around in front of the elevator doors and now he’s hiding in your office.”
”I- Sorry, he what?”
Eve repeated herself, Q standing there in the unmoving elevator, trying to process what he just heard. It wasn’t like James to act like that, so… Irrational. He had no idea what would cause the man to behave that way.
”Right.”
Q lowered his phone from his ear and pulled up the app that allowed him to monitor James’ smart blood. The agent’s heartbeat was abnormally high, indicating he was stressed. More than stressed.
”Shit. I think he might be having a panic attack.”
But what on earth had triggered it? He was just stuck in an elevator, there was nothing life-threatening going on. He racked his brain for reasons, thinking about all the terrible, horrendous things the man had been through. And then it him.
”Oh, fuck.”
An elevator. Vesper Lynd, the first person James ever fell in love with, drowning in an elevator. Choosing to drown, right in front of him. James helplessly trying to revive her.
”I’ll hang up now, I have to call the maintenance team again.”
Ten minutes later, Q was finally free from the elevator. He ran through Q-branch but paused to knock on the door to make his presence known, not wanting to frighten James any further.
”Hey, love”, he said softly as he stepped in, locking the door behind himself. James was sitting on the floor, knees pulled to his chest, eyes wide. He looked nothing like the famous, fearless 007, instead more like a frightened child. At least he did't seem to be panicking anymore, rather frozen in place.
”Hey”, Q repeated, walking over to him, sliding onto his knees on the floor, ”I’m alright. You’re alright. We’re both safe.”
He reached over, placing a hand on James’ knee. The agent met his gaze, but didn’t say a thing.
”I’m sorry, I should have realised… I’m so sorry.”
James cleared his throat and shook his head.
”Don't apologise, you didn’t do it on purpose. I’m sorry, this is so stup-”
”No, none of that”, Q scolded him gently, moving to sit next to James, wrapping an arm around him, ”You don’t choose what triggers you and none of it is stupid. It’s normal, it’s human.”
James leaned over, resting his head on Q’s shoulder.
”I don’t want you to die”, he whispered, voice so sincere it made Q’s heart ache. It took him a moment to realise the agent was crying, the man still trying so hard to keep himself together.
”James, love, I’m okay. I’m safe. I’m not going anywhere”, he promised, wrapping his other arm around James as well, holding him tightly, ”I’m not leaving you.”
For a long while, he just held his partner, letting him cry as long as he needed to.
”Look at me”, he whispered, lifting James’ head up with a gentle hand on his cheek, ”For as long as I possibly can, I’m going to be right here by your side. I’m not going anywhere, I promise.”
Through watery, bloodshot eyes James met his gaze, trying his hardest to manage a small smile.
”I love you.”
”I love you too. I'm never leaving you, nothing could ever take you away from you."