DISCLAIMER: We don't own Our Girl or any of these characters. All credit for their creation goes to Mr Tony Grounds and the copyright to the BBC.


Keeping in Touch

June 2014

18 June 2014

Dear Molly,

You are due to leave the day after tomorrow and I wanted you to have a letter waiting for you when you get to Bastion. I know how unsettling it can feel when you first arrive there and you have to go through all the safety briefings and acclimatisation and you can't get on with actually doing stuff. And I also know how great it is to get a letter from home, telling you what's going on and reassuring you that people haven't forgotten you just because you're skulking in the Afghan desert.

Rest assured, I certainly haven't forgotten you! Given that, I have one really important piece of advice for you Molly – remember first impressions. You have the potential to be a great soldier, but it'll be easier to be that if people have a good first impression of you, rather than you having to crawl over a minefield to get their respect! I'd rather you didn't have to crawl over any more minefields if it's all the same to you!

Anyway enough about that. Not much news from this end. I probably will have told you most of it when we spoke before you left. I am enjoying Headley and it's doing good things for my movement, but I can't help but feel removed from the everyday life of the Army. I think that, above all, suggests to me that it's time to move on.

I hope you had a good flight and they didn't keep you waiting around for too long at the transfer points. Write and tell me what your colleagues are like and what everything else is like. I was speaking to another patient, Paul, the other day and he told me that they have started to dismantle the camp so it'll be interesting to get your views on that.

Take care of yourself Molly, and please don't do anything stupid.

Love

Charles xxx


21st June 2014

Dear Charlie,

Well, I'm ere and I arrived to the best surprise. Thank you for your letter, it was grate of you to write to me. And I'm bloody glad to here you ain't forgotten me yet mate…I've only bin gone a few days! I thought by now I'd be wondering how the hell I let you talk me into this, but it still feels right. So I spose I gotta thank you instead! Alltho three months feels like it's gonna be forever. I'm not sure how I'm gonna manage without you for that long.

When I got ere, it did feel a bit strange being ere without you, like somethin was missin. I remembered the panic I felt gettin back after you'd bin shot. Thinkin of it all again made me miss you even more. It seems so long ago now Charlie, since we was ere together. But it was only a few months ago. So much has happened since then. It's funny to think we met ere. I'm gonna try and concentrate on the happier times we had (even though we was in a warzone so that don't seem quite right!), but if I don't, I won't ever get threw it.

Your mate Paul was right, the place is practically unrecognisable now. Everything is either being dismantled or has already gone. You wouldn't beleive how different it all looks.

Jackie Dawlish was ere when I arrived, she was just packin up her stuff ready to leave. She thought I was nuts when I told her it felt 'right'. I was thinkin (...and don't tell me that sounds dangerous either!), I'm gonna try and meet up with her once I'm back, she was a good freind to me before and I wanna keep in touch.

Oi, thanks for your 'advice' about first impressions. Don't you know I learnt my lesson on my first tour you numpty! Luckily my new CO didn't threaten to lob me out of a plain so I must've done better! I'm certainly not planning on any more encounters with a minefield so you needn't worry about that either. Alltho I am worryin I won't be good enough. What if the Afghans can't understand a word what I'm on about? What if I cock it up and make a tit of meself? It's all bin briefings so far but I'm not sure how I'm gonna feel once I'm in charge of a group of me own. It all felt possible when I was at home. I always feel confident when I'm with you Charlie. Now my doubts are creeping in. I know your gonna tell me off though.

I loved talkin to you on the phone before I left. I was glad to here that Headley is OK. Take it easy on that leg though, no overdoin it. And keep up with your exercises too. I'll be back to check on your progress (and your stamina!), so no skivin off!

I'll tell you more about me colleagues next time but so far I've met me Boss, Major Burke, he seems nice enough, similar age to Beck I guess. But of course as bosses go he's nowhere near as 'fit' as the Boss I had last time I was out ere! I'm with a nice group of girls and a couple of lads, all CMT's, who I'll be training with too.

I sat next to a girl called Lucy on the plain who's ere for the same assignment. She's from Newcastle. Couldn't really understand what she was sayin half the time, alltho I think she was strugglin too! Still, I think we're gonna get on really well, we had a laugh together and seem to ave things in common. This is her second tour as well.

Well, I better go now Charlie, it's gettin late and I'm proper tired after the journey. Better get me head down or I won't stand a chance tomorrow.

I've already started countin the days til I see you again. I promiss I'll take care and won't do anything stupid…..alltho I dunno where you got the idea from that I might!

You take care too Charlie,

Love Molly xxx


21 June 2014

Dear Molly,

By now you will have arrived at Bastion and be into your acclimatisation. I bet it's bloody hot. I've only done one tour where I served over the summer and it was absolutely horrific. We had guys going down with heat exhaustion, some even having to be CASEVACced because it got so bad. Even before we saw any action. If you're in action and you have to move around its worse still. Make sure you stay hydrated Mols, and make sure you use your acclimatisation time well. It's going to be more difficult than when we were out there.

It looks like you should be in luck though because it's Ramadan next week. It'll be tough for you if you're spending time with the Afghans – you won't be able to eat or drink while you're in sight of them, but at least it means that Taliban activity should be depressed. No one feels like starting a firefight on an empty stomach! That should give you a chance to get settled in with your mentees before the shit hits the fan. I hope.

It was great to talk to you the day before you left. I am excited and pleased for you that you have this opportunity and I'm sure you will be brilliant. I've missed hearing your voice today and yesterday, and I probably will miss it every day until I get to speak to you. No-one manages to murder the English language like a Cockney, I've found! God help the interpreters that have to work with you! Actually, if memory serves, no-one murders the Pashto language like a Cockney either. Maybe you will find a well-meaning interpreter to help you!

Life here ticks on. It has a nice and reliable routine. It just feels "wrong". I must admit that I felt a bit melancholy on Wednesday when you said that being back with the Army felt "right". That's how it used to feel to me. I've been speaking to my shrink Rosie and she's been helping me with some of my feelings. Hopefully she can help me to understand myself better.

Looking forward to hearing how things are going.

Take care of yourself Molly,

Love

Charles xxx


24th June 2014

Dear Charlie,

Hot?!...that's the understatement of the bleedin century! It's SO bloody hot outere I'm surprised I ain't melted.Thanks for the tip about drinkin water - did you forget I'm a medic?!...Iknow when I need to drink water! But I love it that you care aboutme Charlie. I hope we don't get any one goin down with heat exhaustion. That sounded bad.

Our letters must've crossed in the air. Hopefully you'll have my reply by now. Yours was such a surprise. Your collecting lots of brownie points Charlie - keep it up! Alltho I'm enjoyin it out ere, I love to here about what's goin on at home.I feel like I'm so far away. Probably cos I am.

Anyway, guess what? I've just given me first lecture to a group of Afghan Medic Trainees. It went really well Charlie. Lots of em come up to me afterwards to ask me questions, and, get this….congratulate me!

Even better, my boss, y'know, Major Burke, told me he thought I'd done a 'brilliant job'. They was his actual words! I couldn't Adam and Eve it. Afterwards, I felt amazin thinkin that I'd pulled it off. Who'd have thought it eh Charlie? Me, Molly Dawes, givin a lecture to a bunch of people. It was proper mental. I don't think Mum and Dad would beleive me even if I told em! Thank you so much for beleivin in me Charlie and talkin me into comin on this tour. I would never ave done it without your support. You really are the best boyfriend ever.

I know I'm gonna really enjoy the teaching. It's a totally different environment to what it was when we was out ere in the FOB though. I'm still strugglin with the heat and that, but I'm gettin a bit more used to it now. And you'll be pleased to here I ain't forgotten about drinkin lots of water either!

I'm still based at Bastion at the moment but I'm gonna be travellin to Kabul to give lectures there. And we'll be goin to some of the main Afghan army training bases so that'll be a nice change of scenery eh?! They told us all that business about Ramadan in our last briefing too. I guess that's gonna mean feelin Hank Marvin most of the time. Ain't lookin forward to that much, you know how I love tuckin into me food!

Everyone's first lecture in me group went really well so we're all buzzin with excitement now. Lucy was white as a sheet and totally shittinherself before she went into hers. We wasgivin each other lots of encouragement beforehand but we was both proper nervous. I feltsick. Then the releif when it was over. Oh, I can't tell you the feelin Charlie!

Anyway, I'd better go. It's time to eat and I can here Lucy callin me. We're gettin on really well. Nice to feel I've gotta freind out ere. I'll try and write again soon. Hang in there Charlie. I know you'll find somethin that feels 'right' in the end. Oh yeah, and less of your cheek about me English, your supposed to be tellin me it's all gonna be alright! I do miss hearin your voice though.

I promiss to take care of me, but only if you promiss to take care of you!

Write soon,

Love Molly xxx


25 June 2014

Dear Molly,

Glad that you got in OK, and that you're making some friends, and that you still can't spell! Lucy sounds fun and the idea of a Cockney and a Geordie trying to understand each other tickled me pink! And Mum and Dad when I mentioned it to them – they both sent you their love by the way.

I'm slightly jealous that you're out there but I'm glad that you're getting the chance to be brilliant and you shouldn't doubt yourself because I know you will be. If they can understand you, that is! Just kidding! It's a good thing you're in Afghan because I reckon you might beat me up for that comment otherwise!

Life here continues in its nice routine. Physio and psychiatry. My shrink, Rosie, continues to have useful things to say and I feel increasingly better about leaving the Army. Not good, you know, but more centred about it. It will be tough – the Army is the only career I've ever known, but I think it's the right thing to do, and I just want to find a job where I can contribute and make a difference. Hopefully there's something like that out there.

We are off for an adventure training course on Friday so that should be fun. Obviously with my bad leg I won't do many of the activities, but I'm really looking forward to the rafting – hopefully I won't fall in or drown! I don't know why not, swimming is one of my best activities at the moment…

Take care of yourself Molly,

Love

Charles xxx


29th June 2014

Dear Charlie,

Just as I thought it would, the pace is pickin up out ere now, not that I'm complaining – at least it makes the time pass quicker, otherwise I'd probably be mopin in the corner missin you even more than I already am. Alltho your letters do help of course.

Anyway, I'm about to hit my pit, I'm proper knackered but thought I'd just write you a quick reply to your latest. I reckon I'll be asleep afore the springs hit the floor! Do you remember when I said that to you when we was out ere together Charlie? You was lookin so gorgeous sittin by your desk. I had it bad for you by then. That night you gave me my first bit of hope that you might ave finally noticed how tiny me shorts were! You looked like you was proper strugglin not to gawp! I reckon it would be my turn to be in trouble if you was ere now though! I spose I better not start teasing you….not just yet anyway, I'll save that for later! Alltho that's gotta make it one all, cos I would ave definitely beaten you up for takin the piss about no one understanding me….and that was the second bleedin time you done that and all!

I forgot to tell you that I've bin spendin some time at the hospital to keep me hand in an that. I've bin workin there with Lucy and another one of the girls in my group called Katie. She's nice too, a bit shy, but me and Lucy are startin to bring her out of her shell. She seems really good at the job though and certainly knows her stuff and that. Make you laugh, she's from Birmingham, so you can imagine how crazy we sound when we're all together! We've also been sittin in on some nurse training sessions they've bin running too. It all helps in keepin us up to date I guess.

Well, I hope your adventure training course went well and you didn't fall in, sounds like fun. I better get me ead down now. I'm lovin wearin my present you gave me by the way, I've got me away strip on tonight – with a pair of your favourite hot pants! I'll leave you with that thought Charlie, sleep well won't you!

Take care,

Love Molly xxx

PS I ave the photo frame with the selfie we took before I left by the side of me bed. I never stop thinkin about you Charlie.


29 June 2014

Dear Molly,

Thanks for your letter about your first lecture. That's excellent news. I knew you could do it and I knew you'd be great. Congratulations to my brilliant girlfriend! I'm glad that you enjoy the teaching part of the job. I must say, that's a part of the job I always enjoyed. Taking some hard case or no hoper and making a great soldier out of them was always so rewarding for me, especially in your case. Joking! But seriously, you'd be surprised how green some of your contemporaries were when I first got my hands on them. I could tell you some great stories about Fingers and Micklar at the beginning that would really surprise you. Of course some, like Mansfield, you never really finish working on!

I'm glad you're still at Bastion and I'm glad for you that you will go out to other Afghan bases and to Kabul but, for God's sake Molly, please take care of yourself when you're outside Bastion, will you? Kabul in particular can get quite hairy and please make sure you always take your protective equipment with you and don't try to scrimp just because it's heavy or annoying. Tommy can be quite nasty about suicide bombing convoys and what not and your body armour could save your life. I'm sure you will be fine but please humour a washed up old soldier! You're the best thing that's happened to me for ages Molly and I don't want you to take any risks with your safety. Please.

OK, lecture over. Sorry about that, but it's more difficult waiting out and having a loved one go into harm's way than you would think and certainly more so than I appreciated. I understand a lot more now why my mother was so clingy and why Rebecca kept getting so upset with me, not that I'm going to give you a dose of that. I'll certainly try not to anyway! It's different, anyway, because I understand and respect what you need to do for your job, but waiting out is tough, let me tell you.

I think of you every day and hope that you are well and having an easy tour, and that those around you are well too. Hopefully things are winding down out there and you shouldn't be pressed into action too much. I hope. I know that if you are, then you will do what you have to do and be brilliant about it anyway. Did I ever tell you how much I admire you for what you have accomplished? I don't know if I have, but I should have done. You are brilliant Molly and you have so much potential, but you have so little self-confidence. Hopefully I can help with that.

I have one more week at Headley Court and will be heading home next weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again. Unfortunately the most important person will be missing but I can just about cope if you keep writing! Please let me know how you're doing.

Take care of yourself Molly.

Love

Charles xxx


A/N Thanks to Klipdoctor for allowing us to use Captain's Log as a template for this fic.