Molly squared her shoulders and smoothed the skirt of her black liquid silk dress over her hips. Taking a deep breath she pushed open the doors to the fancy ballroom, all decked out in its finery for the charity ball, which she attending.

She looked about the room, she saw no familiar faces amongst the well-dressed crowd. Molly's smile slipped for a moment as she made her way to the seating plan. She had planned on being at this function for weeks but now she was here, she couldn't wait to leave. She wasn't ready for this.

Eventually she found her name and made her way to her assigned table. She hoped in one way that no one she knew would be seated with her but she also knew it would be a very long night if there wasn't at least some one she knew close by.

As she stood looking at the fancy table settings she remembered a time when this sort of thing would have her running for the hills but her ten years with the army and Charles had changed all that.

"Private Dawes!" a voice behind her said. As she turned to face the speaker, the automatic correction forced its way from her lips "That's Captain James now, Corporal Geddings." She looked at the man that had helped her to start the journey that had led her to where she was now, a genuine smile on her face for the first time in a long while.

"Major Geddings, thank you, James." They took the couple of steps towards each other and embraced. "I think you can call me Matthew from now on, especially as we seem to be seated at the same table." Molly looked to see that they were actually seated next to one another. She breathed a small sigh of relief. The night would not be so lonely after all.

Throughout dinner and the official speakers, Molly and Matthew filled in the blanks of the years they hadn't seen each other. She told him of the tours she'd done, her rise through the ranks, her marriage to Charles and the life they had beyond.

He responded in kind, telling her about the recruits that had come after her, how he'd gone back to active service and done more tours, he was rather vague about what he was doing now and how he'd risen through the ranks so quickly. "What about family Matthew?" Molly asked "You never married?"

Matthew chuckled "You know the life style Molly. It's hard on relationships, only the rare ones can handle it. I was never lucky enough to find that one I suppose." The band had started playing now that the formalities were over. "Come on Molly, let's dance" said Matthew, standing to offer her his hand. Molly smiled and placed her hand in his.

As they made their way around the dance floor, Matthew nodding to those he knew, Molly felt light and airy in Matthew's arms. Lighter than she had felt in months. She didn't know if it was time, the company or the alcohol, not that she'd had that much to drink.

The song changed, it was one that she knew well, a song that held so much meaning for her, she couldn't stay. "Matthew, I'm sorry...I've got to go." She stepped away from Matthew and disappeared through the couples on the dance floor.

Matthew was surprised at Molly's quick exit. And by the time he'd put his brain in gear, she was gone. "Damn it Molly!"

Matthew walked out the double doors of the ball room scanning the lobby for some trace of her. As his eyes skimmed over the people, he saw her perched in a chair in a corner as far away from people as she could get.

He approached her slowly, knowing something was terribly wrong but at a loss to know exactly what is was. "Molly? Molly, what is it? Why the runner?" Matthew asked gently. Molly looked up at him with unshed tears glittering in her eyes and shook her head still unable to speak.

"Can I sit?" Matthew indicated to a vacant chair opposite her. Molly nodded hesitantly, Matthew lowered himself into the dark, luxurious chair and waited for Molly to feel like talking. After a few minutes Molly whispered "I'm sorry Matthew, you must think I'm awful...but I needed some air."

This time it was Matthew shaking his head "No, I just want to know what happened in there. You took off like you were being chased by a ghost."

Molly gave him a watery smile "I was a bit, bein' chased. That song….that song was our song, Charles and me." Matthew looked slightly bewildered "Molly, I don't understand what's going on. If you and Charles are still together, what's the problem?"

Molly looked at her hands clasped in her lap and took a deep breath. "But we ain't together Matthew! Charles died almost a year ago." And her face dissolved into tears once again.