Our Girl

"Sir?"

"Yes Dawes?"

"Blisters again Sir?"

"Yes Dawes."

Captain James sat down on the med tent bed and stared at his boots. Molly had her back turned and was busy sorting through her med supplies for her seriously depleted stash of fresh plasters, he tensed up as she turned back as if suddenly alert.

Molly smirked at the guilty look on his face, she knew exactly where he had been looking.

"I can't really treat your blisters with your boots on now can I Sir?"

"Oh right yes sorry," James snapped out of his day-dream and began to remove his boots.

"Carry on Dawes."


That evening in the mess tent they sat at opposite ends of the table they shared with the rest of 2 Section, Molly was pretending to engage Smurf in an avid conversation reminiscing about their weeks R&R back in London but out of the corner of her eye she could still see him, the way he grinned showing all his teeth and how he laughed from the bottom of his stomach when he heard his corporals joke about their last tour together. His eyes surveyed the scene taking in every detail, he was always alert. She heard his mantra play out in her head: 'Stay focussed, stay alert, stay alive'. The section had just returned from a tricky patrol in which they identified a potential minefield and potentially saved many lives in the process, he was full of admiration for what his men had achieved today. He truly cared about the well-being of his soldiers, she could see it.

Dawes sat directly opposite him with that smirk on her face that made his skin tingle, her hair hung loose still damp from the shower she had before dinner, it framed her face as she shook her head and punched Smurf on the arm. He flicked his gaze back and forth taking her in but consciously avoiding hers, he tried extremely hard not to focus on the way she used her fork to play with her food before putting it in her mouth and chewing slowly. It was becoming increasingly difficult.

He quickly finished his meal and left the mess tent, he needed to clear his head.

Why did she make his pulse race every time she spoke? That London accent and her colourful language, he loved it all.

She was so different, the effect she had on him scared him a little.

"Sir?"

Suddenly she was behind him, his heart rate quickened instantly.

"Yes Dawes?"

"I just wanted to say that the lads really appreciate their time off tonight, what you helped us achieve today was something they wont forget. So you know, thanks and all that."

"Just doing my job Dawes."

She sort of half-smiled and turned away to wander towards the med tent. Why did he always get the feeling she knew exactly what he was thinking?


The rest of 2 Section took full advantage of their well-earned time off that evening as they proceeded to take all their kit off and pile into Captain James's paddling pool. Molly walked out of the med tent to be confronted with the sight.

"Eh Dawes-y. I think Smurf here needs something checked out by the medic!" shouted one of the lads gesturing downwards, the others whooped and wolf whistled as she walked past the pool.

"Yeah his head probably," Molly shouted back sarcastically.

Capitan James appeared behind her.

"I take it you aren't enjoying the view then Dawes?" he smirked motioning to the jumble of naked squaddies in the paddling pool.

"I think it's safe to say my tastes are a bit more refined than that Sir." Her eyes momentarily scanned his body, just for a few seconds.

"Glad to hear it Dawes-y."

"So this is your fourth tour of Afghan then Sir?"

"Yep, tour number four." "It's never the same each time though, this time is certainly different."

She nodded slowly.

They walked together through camp back to his tent, mostly in silence.

"Sir?"

"Dawes?"

"About my week off back in London," she paused cautiously. He swallowed hard, this conversation had been coming. "Me and Smurf, we just hung out, I mean what I am trying to say is nothing happened..."

He cut her off.

"I won't pretend to know what 'hung out' means but look Dawes, I don't need you to explain yourself to me. What you get up to on your R&R is your business not mine."

With that the Captain turned on his heel and stalked off leaving Molly standing there aimlessly.