Wide eyed and frozen to the spot, Dawes looked up as warm hands cradled her face, the Captain's eyes betraying his fear and concern as he looked at her. Opening her mouth to speak, her mouth dry and throat tight, she trembled as his thumbs wiped away her falling tears.

"On me Dawes," Trying to collect his thoughts, the sound of his own blood pumping whooshing through his ears, Captain James lead his soldier through the maze of corridors that made the camp hospital at Bastion, both oblivious to the people and voices bustling around them as they walked side-by-side, close yet not touching, not stopping until they were into the deceptively warm heat of the Afghan evening.

Walking quickly, the pace dictated by the Captain's long legs and purposeful striding, she kept replaying the moment over and over in her head. Sohail wasn't a traitor or a spy or any of the things he'd been suspected and accused of since his disappearance, and before if she was honest. He was a loyal comrade, a colleague even. One who'd protected her in a way she hadn't even realised she needed protecting in.

Nodding curtly to the Captain of another section he glanced to his left, the faraway look still residing in her green eyes making him want to scream and yell, and shoot someone. The Taliban was a danger to them all, any Taliban soldier would be delighted to take a shot at any British soldier, any soldier working with ISAF really, but they were targeting one soldier, one of his soldiers was a specific target. Not just any soldier either, it was her they wanted to kill.

"Sir?" Almost stumbling by the abruptness of his stopping, only preventing from walking into him by a firm hand reaching to grip her elbow, Dawes frowned as he opened the portacabin door, the slight tilt of his head making her turn and walk inside, her breath catching somewhat in her throat as she stepped inside and realised where she was, his quarters, a sparse portacabin with a desk, a couple of chairs and a bed, little more comfortable than her own shared accommodation, but most definitely somewhere she shouldn't be.

His heartrate still racing as he turned to close the door behind him, he looked at the lock, sliding it into place a tiny movement, but a massive step for a man who'd lived his entire life by army regulations, firstly as a child who grew up on bases as the son of an officer, and then as an officer himself. Putting down his rifle he turned to face the petite woman who had changed so many of his thought processes in such a short time. Watching her as she put down her own weapon he couldn't fail to notice the tremble in her hands, the knowledge that she was the target, that she was being targeted even inside the safety of the compound, had knocked the spark out of her. "Molly…"

"They're going to kill me," Scooped into his arms, her final piece of bravado escaped her, and the tears fell, "They're going to kill me."

"No," Holding her tight to his chest, her head tucked under his chin, he pressed a kiss to her hair, more determined than he'd ever been in his life, "They can try if they want, but I am getting you home in one piece."

"I'm scared Sir…" Looking up, her heart beating so loud she was sure he could hear it, Molly felt overwhelmed, this not what she was expecting when she walked into that army careers office, "I'm so scared."

"I know you are," Bringing one hand to her face, catching yet more tears with his thumb, he fixed his other arm around her waist, holding her against him, her hands fisted into his top, still trembling, he kissed her forehead, "I know you are, but I won't let them get you. I promise."

"Sir, I…"

"Charles," Almost breathing the word onto her skin as he lightly kissed the tip of her nose he needed her to drop the title, he needed that barrier between them to be gone, the sensible voice in his head warning him of the consequences getting quieter by the second, "My name is Charles."

"Charles?" Biting her lip, a smile crossed her face, "Charles?"

"What's funny about Charles?" Heart soaring at the sight of a smile, even a smile on a pale face with red tear-stained eyes, he stroked his thumb across her cheek lightly, "If anyone finds out…"

"I don't care…"

"I care," Interrupting her, his nose touching hers, his voice low and soft, Charles took a deep breath, "I want you to be brilliant Molly… You could have a career that soars. When we get home…"

"I don't want to wait it out…"

"I don't either…" Pausing for a second, one last moment of thought crossing his mind, Charles looked again, the eyes drilling into him, asking, needing, something, anything that he could give that would take away the fear he could see on her face.

Her breath caught in her throat as he finally pressed his mouth to hers, firm yet gentle, so fitting to his character, Molly heard a whimper and realised it had come from her as his tongue gently licked its way into her mouth, finding hers and tangling beautifully, fitting in her mouth like it was meant to be there, the kiss getting deeper as the hand on her face slipped into her hair, and the one around her back slipped lower, his fingers pressing into her backside, pulling her tighter against him, his combats hiding nothing of how turned on he was, "Charles…"

-OG- -OG-

"Sssh… I've got you… You are safe here…" Sat on his bed, his back against the wall, Molly on her knees straddling his lap, Charles cradled her face in his hands, a loud thump outside making her jump, the tears coming back to her eyes, "I won't let anyone hurt you."

"You can't promise that," Shivering as one of his hands moved down her face, slowly trailing down her side until it was slipping under her shirt, his rough, calloused fingers bringing goosebumps to her skin, "You can't…"

"I can…" Leaning in he silenced her with his mouth again, this time his tongue pushing in harder, his mouth pressing on hers so hard she knew her lips would be swollen the next day, his hand trailing up her spine, coming to rest on the clasp of her bra, faltering there for a second, waiting for her to let him know that it was ok.

Grunting as she moved against him, rocking her hips gently, the friction almost making him explode in his pants like a horny teenager, he fumbled with the clasp, having to take his other hand from her face to master it, glad their eyes were shut to hide his blush. Bringing his hands to the hem of her top he reluctantly pulled their mouths apart, his eyes opening to see her lips swollen, and shiny with saliva, as he pulled her top over her head, her grabby hands yanking on his, almost pulling out some of his hair in her haste to free him from the material, both tops being launched to the other end of the room, her bra quickly following, their mouths crashing back together as their hands set about greedily exploring the newly exposed skin.

"Please… Please…"

"Ssh…" Still sat on the bed, naked and with an equally naked Molly on his lap, Charles kept his arms wrapped around her back, holding her tightly to him, her wetness around him making him want to explode, but needing to step it back, to calm the frantic neediness that had saw them rip clothing off and see her sink down on him in one swift movement, "Molly…"

"I need…"

"I know… Just…" Releasing her slightly, enough for her to move her hips a little, but not enough to let her just take, Charles brought one hand to the back of her neck, holding her so he could kiss her, softer than he'd kissed her yet, his lips brushing hers as they started to move, together, her following his slower pace, rocking until they were both panting, heads falling back as the pace picked up a little, both desperately trying to keep quiet, "I love you…"

"I…" Dropping her head to his shoulder, almost bursting her lip as one of his hands snaked between them, deft fingers finding her clit, all the sensations scrambling together, pushing her closer and closer to an edge she wasn't sure she'd ever truly fallen over before, taking her there and pushing her over with his name on her lips.

-OG- -OG-

"I should go…" Curled into his side, still naked, Molly traced patterns over his chest with her fingers, "Charles, I…"

Kissing her lightly, he smiled, the sensible part of his brain yelling at him for his stupidity, he forced down his instinct to agree, knowing how it would hit her if he chucked her to her tent straight away, "There's no rush. Five more minutes."

"Five more minutes… Then we wait it out?"

"Yes," Charles smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face, wondering how he could last a day without touching her again, let alone weeks, "Five more minutes, then we wait it out."