Molly opened the bathroom door and stepped out into the bedroom, "Does this look ok?" she questioned.
Charles looked up from unpacking his open suitcase on the bed, he straightened up and did his half smile, "Perfect'.
"Are you really sure, I've never been to one of these poncey things and I don't wanna look a tit".
"Mol, you look gorgeous", He said, looking up and down at her slim form in the blue sequined ball gown she wore.
"Promise everyone will look like this!" she insisted.
Charles laughed, "Everyone will be dressed up, its a ball! Not everyone will look like you though, you look beautiful. Now I need to get changed or we are going to be late!", and with that he swept passed her, dropping a kiss on to her exposed shoulder, and into the bathroom and the shower.
...
The taxi was waiting for them outside the hotel and swept them away to the military charity ball. Molly was nervous, but without really knowing why. She knew logically that though the event started off formally, that it usually ended up decidedly informal and a lot of fun. She also knew that most of 2 section were also attending, as was Jackie. But this was the first military event that she had attended as Charles' date. Though everyone had known of their burgeoning relationship for months, tonight they were in proper couple mode, seated together and everything, and for some reason that made her nervous.
The taxi pulled up outside the central London hotel and she waited for Charles to open her door, and she stepped out, careful not to place her heel on her dress or to catch the slight train in the closing taxi door. Charles took her hand and they walked into the swanky hotel. They got to the ballroom, walking into the grand space, and the butterflies were there again. Then, over by the table plan she spotted some familiar faces.
'Alright Tossers!'
'Alright Dawsey!' said Mansfield, dropping his traditional kiss on her cheek.
'Looking smokin' Dawsey' leered Fingers, egged on by Dangles and Nudenut. Then the boys froze slightly as their eyes looked down Molly's arm to the hand holding hers.
'Boss! Didn't see you!' said Dangles.
Charles laughed, 'Lads.' He nodded, 'Think its going to be a good night?'
'Too right Sir,' Said Mansfield, 'And yours just got even better as it looks like you're sat with us!'.
During the canapes and drinks before the meal, Molly spotted several familiar figures in the crowds. She saw the upright figure of Major Beck, and well as the distinctive form of Kinders, as he slid through the crowds to find the rest of 2 section and the under fives. Molly also managed to grab 5 minutes with Jackie Dawlish, who spent most of the time teasing her about Charles, and trying to find out more gossip! Molly enjoyed their exchange, but it was short, and she spent most of the mingling time being dragged around by Charles as he spoke to many of the senior officers in attendance. She realised how different it was coming to this kind of event as "Major James' date" as oppose to coming as Private Dawes.
Soon they were ushered to there tables and Molly and Charles found themselves sat with Kinders, FIngers, Mansfield, Nudenut and Dangleberries, and well as Major Beck and his wife, who was introduced to her as Laura. The meal was delicious, and soon the conversation was flowing. Molly had Charles to her right, and Mansfield to her left, so found she could join Charles' conversation with Major Beck, and then relax into chatting to her friends. She sighed, leaning back into her chair, glass of champagne in hand.
"Ok?" asked Charles, "Enjoying yourself?"
"Yes Boss," She replied grinning up at him, "A lot more than I thought I would".
"Good," He laughed, "And this evening is only going to get better!" and with that he leant down and brushed his lips against hers, before pulling back to give her one of his grins.
He brushed his hands along her shoulder, in a reassuring way, and turned back to his conversation.
When the meal was drawing to a finish, and people were sipping their coffees, the Corps of Army took to the stage to open the entertainment. Slowly people began to wind their way over to the dance floor, and over to the bar to replenish their glasses after the meal.
"Oi Mansfield," Molly bellowed, "Seen the Boss-Man anywhere?". Mansfeld laughed "Haha, knew it wouldn't last long Dawsey!" He teased. "Nah seriously, not seen him for a bit, or Dangles for that matter".
At that moment the band stopped playing, and the lights dimmed.
"Bit odd," said Nudenute. The room seemed to still around them and a hush descended. Out of the darkness Molly heard a noise
"When my legs don't work like they used to before,"
With that a spotlight appeared on the stage, behind Molly's back.
"Boss?" whispered Mansfield
"And I can't sweep you off of your feet"
Molly turned, and there on the stage, illuminated by a single spotlight, stood Charles, with a mic in front of him and a guitar in his hands. Dangles behind him, sat at a piano.
Molly gasped, and as the words he had sung filtered into her consciousness, an image came into her head, of Charles, limping up the stairs on their very first date. A blush came to her cheeks
"Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love."
She grinned, remembering their very first kiss in Afghan, and how very desperate she had been to kiss Charles again.
"Will your eyes still smile, from your cheeks".
Charles eyes met hers across the crowd, and he gave her one of his, now infamous, winks.
"Darlin' I will, be loving you 'till, we're 70
Baby my, heart, could still fall as hard, as at 20"
She laughed again, at his insistence that they would be together that long, and gave a wry smile at the reference to when he met Rebecca. She knew he was trying to tell her that he wasn't jaded by his past, and loved her as freely as if he hadn't been hurt.
"I'm thinkin' 'bout how, people fall in love in mysterious ways,
Maybe just the touch of a hand"
With that she was back in the med tent in Afghan, the day she went on R&R, Charles hand intertwined with hers.
"Me, I fall in love with you, every single day,
And I just want to tell you I am"
"Eww!" said Mansfield, "Who knew the Boss was so soppy!"
Fingers laughed.
"Shut up you Prannet!" Whispered Molly.
People were starting to look over at her now, following the gaze of the man on stage, and realising that it was her he was singing to.
"So honey now,
Take me into your loving arms,
Kiss me under the light of 1000 stars,
Place your head on my beating heart"
Molly just smiled as the lyrics washed over her, taking in the references: to her love of the Afghan sky and the endless stars she had been able to see, for the first time, there, and also the reference to the hight difference between them. Her head didn't tuck under his chin, but only just reached to his heart.
"I'm thinking out loud,
That maybe we found love right where we are"
Molly noticed people were really looking over now, watching the searing eye contact between the man on the stage and this mystery woman. Molly felt their gazes, and broke eye contact with Charles, looking into the crowd. Her eyes found Jackie, who pretended to swoon, laughing.
"When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades"
Charles, hand left his guitar to ruffle his hair, teasing Molly about how she loved to do the same.
"And these crowds don't remember my name,
When my hands don't play these strings the same way
I know you will still love me the same"
He looked at her questioningly, and she nodded back at him.
"Oh Dawsey, I thought you were so hard!" smirked Nudenut, earning him a sharp elbow in the ribs in return, as well as a "Shhhh!" from Jackie, who had made her way over to join the group.
'Cause honey, your soul, could never grow old, it's evergreen,'
And, baby, your smile's forever in my mind and memory"
I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways
Maybe it's all part of a plan"
"Or just Lady Luck", thought Molly, thinking about what had been said at the CP about who you meet, and fall in love with.
"Well, I'll just keep on making the same mistakes
Hoping that you'll understand"
Charles' eyes never left hers, as he sought reassurance, mainly that Molly wasn't going to kill him when he got down off the stage. He knew she hated things like this, as she was not a fan of public displays of affection!
"But, baby, now
Take me into your loving arms,
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars,
Place your head on my beating heart,
Thinking out loud
That maybe we found love right where we are"
The song came to an end, and the stage slipped into darkness again. Then was illuminated fully again to show the band for the rest of the evening taking to the stage.
The song included in the fix is 'Thinking Out Loud', by Ed Sheran. No right to our girl or Ed Sheran's song.
Reviews always welcome - be kind, its my first fic!