R &R

This is a one shot. All rights for characters are owned by BBC. I decided to try a one shot for a change. Since I wrote chapter 11 of Sleeping Handsome and had to change the rating to M the views have declined and I wondered if everyone was bored of that story or I had maybe offended for some reason. I hope you will review this one shot.

Smurf's POV

I was going home for two weeks R&R, rest and recuperation. I would rather have stayed on tour. Our contact with the enemy had been really poor. I needed to be able to get the Taliban to pay. Geraint could not be allowed to die in vain.

Geraint had been my identical twin and my best friend. Mum said we fought but that was between each other and if anyone upset either one of us, then they had double trouble to take on. Geraint knew what I was thinking and I was a little glad he was not able to read my current thoughts. I was in love for the first time in my life. I loved my mum and my twin brother but this was different. The feeling I had for Molly were the most real thoughts I had ever had. The thought she might have been injured or killed when that kid had the bomb strapped to her had been hard. I wanted Molly to pull back but as usual she did not listen and took off her protective gear to keep the kid calm. It was one of the bravest things I had ever seen apart from knowing that this gutsy medic had risked a sniper shot to save my life.

Nobody had ever protected me like that and put their life on the line for me. I had felt such pain when mum had phoned me at the gym to say that the MOD had been at our house to inform her that Geraint had been fatally wounded but his OC Captain James had risked his life to recover his body. To allow mum to be able to have her boy in Newport.

I decided to join up after Geraint's death and had been just the sort of guy they wanted in the infantry. I got the best recruit at Catterick but I was determined that I wanted to go to Afghanistan and joined the same regiment as my brother. When I was given the option of joining Captain James and two section that was the icing on the cake. I would be able to go on tour and show the Taliban that my brother did not die in vain. The need to make mum proud and to prove to myself that I was better than Geraint as I would come home alive.

I had already taken one shot to the groin but Molls had saved me. This was my one true love. I had the chance during training and we had had a moment behind the Indian. I did not realise how much I would like that time back and to be have contacted Molly after that night. It was just a good one night stand but now I had fallen for this Cockney lass. She thought I was a cock womble at times but she was looking out for us all as our medic.

The R&R was shit. Mum was trying to be normal but was driving me mad. But my saviour came down to Newport and even though she thought it was shit, spent some time and made it bearable. We were both lost being home but together we could stumble through it. Molly said we needed to stay together and the rest of the time we spent in London. Her family were loud and busy. Very different from the unbearable quiet in Newport. I hoped that I could make her see how much I loved her and that it was not bullshit. I didn't just want to be friends and I hoped that she saw me differently. I know she could love me and I just need to show her.

Bossman's POV

This R&R with her being away would give me a little perspective. My head must have been getting fried with all these heat. I could not have feelings for a young medic. I was her OC and the fallout if anyone could get into my head and know I had started to have feelings for her, would be catastrophic. You did not bring personal into operational. I knew that better than anyone. This was my fourth tour when all was said and done.

I had thought she was initially a loud mouth medic. Sometimes she opened her mouth just to change feet. But more than that she was gutsy, had more balls than most of the men and gave me more grey hairs than I should have on tour. She engaged with people. The young girl, Bashira bonded with her and told her information that put her own life in danger. Molly Dawes was open, friendly, full of spunk , was beautiful and very endearing.

The times I was tough on her were difficult as she seemed even smaller than her dainty frame. She shrank for a short time but then she surprised me as she came back fighting. Her punches were on point and mostly were hitting me in my brain, definitely my gut and my heart. Somewhere reserved for my parents and Sam. Rebecca had lost her right when she had the affair but I am not really sure that she ever really belonged there. I think for us it had only really been physical but with a mutual respect and when Sam came along we just thought getting married would bind it all together. We got that wrong and even though the love, if there had ever been any was gone, it still hurt to know that it was over.

I don't like to make mistakes but getting a divorce was the only way to clear the mess. That had been solved prior to coming on tour. I was a free man to be able to move on. Rebecca was already doing that with Tim. Could I move on? Molly was very appealing. She was little and really cute. Running around in her little shorts, was heart racing not just for me but most of the section. A lot of the guys had loved ones back home but we were all red blooded men and Molly Dawes got it pumping without even knowing it. She was not flirty but just friendly.

The moment I wrote Rosabaya on her arm changed that for us. She looked at me very intently with knowing eyes and when I asked her to come back to me. She sealed our fate when she replied don't worry I will. I think my heart skipped many beats and the moment she got on the helicopter to take her to Bastion was hard. I wanted her to have some time out of theatre to allow her some perspective and to give me time to clear my head.

That did not work as I was counting the days off in my diary with a little R for return. I needed her back with me and though I knew it was going to be difficult not to show my feelings. This tour would end and then I would be able to let her know… Let her know that I was in love with her.

Molly's POV

I could not get on that helicopter and leave him. If I was not there to protect him then I knew I would just worry. When he wrote Rosabaya on my arm and asked me to come back to him. My heart stopped than started again at a fast pace when he held my hand.

Guys like Bossman did not look at girls like me. They barked orders at us, joked and had a little banter but there was always that line they did not cross. But he had not stepped out of line by trying to touch me or say sleazy innuendos. He smiled at me, made me feel special when I had done a good job. He let me know when I had opened my mouth and said one of my many stupid comments. I hated when he would give me a look of displeasure as I just wanted one of those special smiles. The guys respected him and he was our Boss.

More than that, he gave me grounding while on tour. The moment we sang together had been fun. He had looked so intently at me and even given me a few reassuring winks. I can't sing but with him beside me it did not matter. It was our special moment on that stage and he made me feel protected.

I don't know when it turned to love. I thought I had been in love with Artan but that had been lust. There had never been any respect and he had been shagging my mates behind my back. Captain James had class. The woman in his life would feel respected and loved. He would be charming, opening car doors, pulling out a chair in a restaurant and would be attentive. I hope what I was feeling was answered in his own heart. R&R had better go quickly as I needed to find out.

The time went slowly, my family did my nut in but Smurf made it bearable. Our time together in Newport and London was fantastic. He was my mate and we had shared so much already on tour and neither of us could settle. But together we could share it and make sense of this world that we should know but was so alien.

The morning when I got on my uniform to go back on tour was like coming home. I was smiling and the flight seemed to go quickly. I would soon be back with him and to a future I was not sure. Time would tell but I was excited to return and find out.

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Hope you enjoyed and definitely have ideas for more one shots and to continue Sleeping Handsome if people are still reading. Many thanks xx